industries

Go Figure: Making it work in a pandemic

By Melissa Edwards /

Legends Haul

When COVID-19 hit, B.C. businesses had to get very creative, very quickly to stay afloat—and lend a hand. Here are just a few of the ingenious shifts we saw across the province this past spring

At least 700 3D printers have been pressed into service to make face shields and ear savers for health workers through the BC COVID-19 3D Printing Group

Companies producing shields for the group or independently include Drop Manufacturing (Nelson), Hollywood Fabricating (Prince George), LNG Studios (Vancouver), Packright Manufacturing (Langley) and Vital Manufacturing (Surrey)

100+

Virtual private wine tastings–featuring pre-delivered tasting bundles–hosted by Summerland-based Okanagan Crush Pad within the first 6 weeks of the shutdown

After restaurant supplier Legends Haul launched a meal and grocery home delivery service in March, retail clients grew to 50% of the Coquitlam-based company’s business, with 2,000+ home deliveries a week

Peregrine Retail Design Manufacturing expanded Plexiglas production at its Burnaby facility to 30% from 5%, producing 3,000 new protective shields for offices and retail outlets by May 15

10

Restaurants and breweries that joined the Staff Meal program—which offers affordable to-go meals in 500-mL containers to anyone in need—after Vancouver’s Say Mercy! launched it in March  

60

Boarded-up storefronts painted with murals as part of the Vancouver Mural Festival‘s #MakeArtWhileApart program from March to May

Vancouver-based AG Hair switched 100% of its 70,000-sq.-ft. manufacturing facility to hand sanitizer production during April and May

Within 2 weeks of launching its Local Central initiative, which provides shelf space to B.C.-made products during the pandemic, Richmond-based London Drugs had received 1,276 applications

20%

Share of its fleet that Victoria Pedicab Co. plans to convert into ice cream carts selling locally made frozen foods and drinks 

100,000

Daily production of surgical masks at Coquitlam’s Novo Textiles after it retooled its sofa cushion, dog bed and decor factory

Sources: CTV News, Eat North, CBC News, Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC