While healthcare workers across the country anxiously await deliveries of vital PPE from overseas, British companies have stepped up to play their role in the national battle against coronavirus.

Barbour, one of Britain’s leading brands, has been kitting out royals, racegoers and countryside ramblers alike for over 126 years.

And now they're facing their greatest challenge yet after converting their South Shields factory into a production centre providing protective gowns for NHS hospitals across the north of the country.

In an interview with Newschain, managing director Steve Buck described how the company has adjusted in order to play its part in the British effort, and praised the admirable willingness of employees to return to work during the crisis.

The turnaround was rapid for the factory, which only closed its doors in March following government rulings on social-distancing.

Where it usually operates with 135 machinists and seamstresses, plus another 40 workers who package and finish the garments, these guidelines have induced significant changes.

“We wanted to adhere to all the government guidelines which is not the easiest thing to do in a factory,” insisted Buck. “So now we’re effectively using one in three of the machines to keep the distance which means we’re running at about a third of capacity.”

He was quick to point out that a reduction in machinery and man-power has not negatively impacted on the quality, or quantity, of the garments being produced.

“It’s quite a change from our normal hard wearing jackets, but we’re still operating to the same high standards," he said.

“The gowns are pretty massive to be honest, so we don’t exactly need our tailors to do too much, but accuracy of manufacture and quality of finish remain integral and especially when it comes to the health and safety of these incredible NHS workers.

“Seams, fit and closures are all vital to how well these pieces of equipment do their job and that kind of finish is something we pride ourselves on so we were pretty confident we could deliver on this,” he said.

He also highlighted that despite this significant reduction in numbers, garments were still ‘flying out the doors'.

“Yesterday we dished out 1000 gowns, but we’re aiming to hit 1500 a day and hit a total of 23,000 gowns next week, so that will be about 15 days from when we started,” he said.

“To put that in perspective - with full manpower we would normally churn out around 700 wax jackets a day and we can more than double that with only a third of the staff,” he finished.

Buck was also quick to laud the determination and dedication of his staff adding: “What was amazing though, was that we asked for volunteers and we pretty well got everybody who didn’t have an underlying health issue or a connection to someone with an underlying health issue.

“You like to think that they believe they are treated well in the company so they were willing to get on board,” he said.

“We couldn't just ask people to come in, but they were quick as anything to sign up and that’s amazing and really nice as a director to see.

“We made sure we had all the regulations adhered to, including two metres, machines are thoroughly cleaned, everybody has masks and a table to themselves in the canteen, but even then, they had the option to decline.”

Staff willingness reflects the fighting spirit of the quintessentially British brand, for whom this is not the first time they have kitted out the nation to go into battle.

“We did protective clothing for the ministry of defence during the Second World War,” said Buck.

“So again we’re doing our bit for the national effort, although this time we don’t have to design the garments ourselves,” he joked.

“But of course, we’ve suggested some tweaks here and there, nothing fancy, but just a designer's eye to help make it more practical and effective!”

He committed Barbour to continuing to produce the gowns for as long as needed and even when usual production of jackets resumes as the lockdown measures lift.

“We’re not just going to ditch helping when we’re allowed to start producing again,” he said, “we will work it out so that we can produce the two side by side.

"It's something we can figure out and we want to still play our part," he added.

“I like to think it’s the British spirit and desire to help and that extends from the workers at Barbour right through the whole company

“We’re all behind the national effort and we’re here to help fight this virus in whatever way we can and that comes right the way through from the top.

"This definitely would have been at the forefront of Dame Margaret Barbour's [CEO at Barbour] mind and it is very much at the forefront of ours too."