Sheffield printing firm borrows £1m to stay alive - and produce face masks

Proco Print, on Parkway Industrial Estate, has produced tens of thousands of full-face masks after switching some of its manufacturing capability. It is donating them to nearby healthcare facilities, according to finance director Simon Hemingway.

He said: “Like most businesses, we faced an inevitable reduction in income when lockdown was announced and we needed a cash injection, so we’re very grateful for the CBILS loan.

“Thankfully we’ve been in a position to support those on the frontline by using our manufacturing equipment to produce much-needed PPE. If we all do our bit and help in whatever way we can, we’ll soon get through this.”

The business, which employs 139, manufactures prints and designs, has been working at a reduced capacity while adhering to the social distancing guidelines.

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