How Manufacturers Can Make A Difference In Ukraine

I struggle to find words to describe the horrors of the situation in Ukraine right now. It seems every report adds a new wrinkle, a new terror to toss around in your head: the bombing of a maternity ward, tank attacks on civilian living quarters, children and adults emerging from the rubble of a destroyed theater in which they’d been hiding for safety.

These brutal stories and images are what rattle around our brains, these first-hand effects, and yet somehow, we’re also supposed to keep working and deal with the global fallout of it all. In the manufacturing industry, there is plenty to address.

The supply chain was still reeling from the aftermath of the pandemic; now we add war to the mix. The same gas prices you see rising at the tank have caused the cost of shipping goods to soar. Global supplies of products like palladium, platinum, aluminum, steel, and sunflower oil could be impacted, as Ukraine and Russia are substantial sources of each, the New York Times reported. The length of the conflict will play a role in dictating how much these delays and shortages stack up, but in some industries they have already been felt—and to a magnified degree thanks to the pandemic.

All that said, I can’t stop thinking about what really matters—the Ukrainian people, and what our industry might be able to do for them. It was not that long ago that we fielded the call of a crisis closer to home, heard the stories of hospitals running out of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), saw the images of nurses donning garbage bags, and got to work to help. Manufacturers across the country sprang into action. Here in Ohio, we formed the Ohio Manufacturing Alliance to Fight COVID-19, and with thousands of manufacturers across the state on board, we were able to quickly produce tens of millions of pieces of PPE.

There may be a less-obvious connection between U.S. manufacturers and Ukraine, but I know this industry can and will find ways to provide support. In fact, some are already making a difference. I offer the below examples, and I urge those with the ability to consider doing something similar.

1. The Medical Industry Works to Increase Availability of Medical Supplies

The World Health Organization estimates that 45 medical facilities in Ukraine have been impacted by attacks during the conflict, creating harm not only in the tragic instances when those facilities were populated, but also by devastating the infrastructure needed to care for patients. As the healthcare system is flooded not only with daily new trauma, but also with the continued flow of everyday patients, Ukrainian hospitals need supplies.

A few organizations are working hard to get them into the country. Project C.U.R.E., with seven U.S. locations, has long been a centralized hub for resources donated by medical manufacturers. The organization’s focus has shifted during the conflict, and it’s now sending critical healthcare products for distribution. Manufacturers can explore making a donation here.

They’re not the only ones pitching in. AdvaMed, the top medical technology lobby, is organizing medical supply donations from manufacturers and others. And MedTech Europe, a trade group, has said they’re working to “ensure insofar as possible the availability of medical supplies,” working with civil defense mechanisms to distribute in Ukraine.

2. Manufacturers Donate Cash and Supplies to Ukraine

Beyond these centralized medical efforts, there are other examples of manufacturers who have given their time or treasure to the cause.

Sometimes these donations come with a personal tie. A family-owned bedding manufacturer in Erie, for instance, decided to make a donation to the Red Cross in the name of its workforce, a quarter of which are immigrants from Ukraine and Russia. A candle-maker owned by a Ukrainian-American started making and selling yellow and blue candles, and at last check had already raised $125,000 to support the people of Ukraine.

A Scottsdale, Arizona-based ammunition maker sent more than one million rounds—about $700,000 worth—of AK-47 ammo to bolster Ukrainian military defenses, even as the actual delivery of the ammo has proved to be a complicated affair.

3. A Few Companies Pivot Their Expertise to Get Needed Supplies Into Ukraine

A few of our friends in logistics have similarly answered the call. In New Jersey, Meest-America paused its normal operations of delivering freight to Ukraine and other Eastern European countries and instead set about collecting and sending items of crucial need, including medical supplies and items for Ukrainian soldiers.

“Once we saw the images of bombing, it was an easy decision,” said Natalia Brandafi, chief operating officer at the mostly Ukrainian American-employed business.

Other companies with Ukraine ties have transformed their model altogether. Utilizing its local ties and $2 million in donations from its two partners, Energy Resources of Ukraine has become a Poland-based logistics operation sending resources across the border to Ukraine. “We had the resources, we had the passion and the compassion,” said Dale Perry, one of the company’s American partners. “And, at the end of the day, [we had] the entrepreneurial ability to just step up.”

Just step up: that mantra seemed to motivate so much of the manufacturing industry’s thinking when our country faced massive PPE shortages during the pandemic. I’m encouraged to see manufacturers now rising to the occasion to support Ukrainians, as well.

The situation is dire, but our industry is built on heart, determination, and a long history of making things better whenever and wherever we can. Here’s hoping we can all examine our specific skills and resources and find many more ways to help Ukraine.