Uplifting stories: helping customers adapt to fight COVID-19

While Amcor sites in 40 countries are helping customers to meet surges in demand for packaging of vital consumer goods, we're also supporting them to adapt their own operations to respond to the pandemic.

One example is distillers, many of whom have swiftly geared up to make hand sanitizer. Distilleries are uniquely positioned because they have access to spirits with a high concentration of alcohol needed to meet requirements for hand sanitizer to contain at least 60% alcohol.
Two of those taking action are Amcor customers.

One of the oldest craft distilleries in the United States, Ugly Dog Distillery stopped making alcohol and shifted its facilities to making hand sanitizer – and they are giving it away to people and organizations that need it most.

“We’ll do the right thing here,” David Salmon, Ugly Dog managing owner said. “There is a critical demand for hand sanitizer and Ugly Dog is grateful to give back.”

"For us, it was a no-brainer," said Salmon. "It's something that we decided to do as a company. We're donating single bottles to people who come in the front door, and we're taking care of our senior living facilities, hospitals, and first responders in the area."

Ugly Dog is using an FDA approved formula of ethyl alcohol, hydrogen peroxide and vegetable glycerin to make the hand sanitizer. It's something the company had never done before, but distiller Kyle McGregor said it's been a smooth transition.

"It's really easy. We only have three main ingredients and I'm just blending, so as long as we have the ingredients, I'm good to go," said McGregor. "It's really making sure we have enough bottling equipment."
This is where Amcor came in. In less than 24 hours, Amcor donated 7,200, 375ml symmetrical bottles. The bottles will be supplied from the Nicholasville and Allentown plants. Ugly Dog has committed to an additional 22,000 bottles.

Joining the fight against COVID-19, Amcor customer Grandes Distilleries Peureux have also shifted part of their production to alcohol-based hand sanitizers. The sanitizers are being delivered to hospitals and healthcare workers in the region of France where the distillery is located.

The first bottles were capped using Amcor's STELUXE aluminium closures from our manufacturing site in St-Seurin, France. The hydroalcoholic gel is bottled in PET bottles and Amcor Capsules recommended STELVIN®LUX closures, which are manufactured at our site in Chalon, France, for the next batches of bottling.

The Amcor team in France arranged a rapid delivery and donated 100,000 closures to Peureux for their immediate needs next week, and we will continue to supply their distilleries throughout the crisis.

In many locations, Amcor’s manufacturing is deemed an “essential service.” We continue to make packaging in more than 40 countries and respond to surges in demand for home and personal hygiene, health care and pharmaceutical products at many of our locations.

We have put in place ways of working that help keep our employees safe, including shift-based working, staggered meal breaks, flexible leave, physical distancing, and increased communication to our global workforce during this extraordinary time.

Times of crisis often bring out the very best in people. Tens of thousands of Amcor colleagues are turning up to work and making a difference every day - helping food stay fresh, maintain long shelf-life, keep pharmaceuticals safe and deliver sterile medical products.

We are deeply proud of our people, and grateful for our strong partnerships with our customers and suppliers.

With a focus on safety and collaboration, our actions are guided by Amcor’s values and we remain committed to winning for our people, customers, investors and the environment.

Amcor – Supporting people through Covid-19 coronavirus