A potential opportunity is opening up for agile Dubbo businesses to help fill gaps in the global supply of medical equipment and hygiene products, as part of an effort that could save lives and jobs.
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The NSW government has launched a portal for companies to offer to build parts of supply eight urgently needed items during the COVID-19 crisis.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the world was running short on hand sanitiser, handwash soap, gloves, cleaning products, protective clothing, masks, eyewear and paper products.
"This is a call to arms for NSW manufacturers to look at ways to convert production lines into making the items we so desperately need," Ms Berejiklian said.
"We have the ability within NSW to meet our local demand and the government is moving to help manufacturers re-tool quickly to achieve this.
"Importantly, providing this opportunity to manufacturers will also allow some businesses to keep people in jobs when they may not have been able to do so."
Local alcohol makers are already converting to produce items such as hand sanitiser, while other firms have switched to face masks, providing much-needed equipment while keeping their business going and safeguarding jobs.
With supply of personal protective equipment and disinfectant expected to be constrained for at least 12 months, further opportunities exist for other NSW companies to join them.
Businesses can register their interest through the portal at nsw.gov.au.
