16 June 2020

From international film productions to producing PPEs

Submitted by: Carina Bruwer
From international film productions to producing PPEs

While the local film and media industries have come to a standstill due to the Covid-19 crisis, a Cape Town production design company has decided to use its resources to become part of the solution - in the way of supplying high quality locally produced PPEs to the frontline and beyond, while at the same time creating work for industry freelancers who have been left in the cold. 

Oxo Productions has been supplying various industries with unique and custom designed items based on demand since 2002. With its roots in the local film and production industries, Oxo consists of a collective of highly creative problem solvers with an in-depth knowledge of, and decades of experience in production and manufacturing. 

From creating sets and handling production design for large scale international film productions a mere two months ago, Oxo is now exclusively focused on the design, production, manufacturing and supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in South Africa, as a response to the urgent demand for face shields, visors and face masks for frontline workers during the Coronavirus pandemic.  

"The idea of manufacturing personal protective equipment came about when we as creative film industry people asked ourselves how we can help provide a service that is urgently needed in these times and at the same time keep our freelancers and staff gainfully employed" said Riccardo Pugliese, owner of Oxo Productions. "The initial requirement was for cotton face masks, and progressed by demand to quality face shields, which can be worn comfortably for several hours." 

The Oxo Face Shield in particular is in high demand for its fine quality and comfort, featuring solid forehead support, a 400 micron food grade polyester visor and 25mm heavy duty Microplush elastic strap. With the first commission for the shields having come from a Cape Town hospital, the design caters specifically for medical/hospital environments, where components of the shield need to be removable for sterilisation. A simpler version of the shield for non-medical environments, where the components are fixed and non-removable, is also available. 

"Sourcing materials has been a challenge but our suppliers seem to have a more steady flow of stock coming in now, and we are happy and able to commit to producing larger quantities and to keep up with the demand", Pugliese says. We are proud to be out there and making a difference during this time, on a social and economic level". 

More information and order details can be found on https://oxoproductions.co.za