340% surge in PPE firms listed on online marketplace

Dubai - Businesses can use the marketplace to buy PPE at low costs, generate new leads, and build long-term partnerships with reliable suppliers.

Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry has reported a 340 per cent surge in the number of companies listed on its online marketplace for personal protective equipment (PPE).
The Chamber said on Wednesday that 66 companies are registered on the Rapid Response Initiative (RRI) marketplace, up from 15 companies in July. RRI, the first of its kind initiative, is a free-to-use platform connecting UAE companies and healthcare providers with reliable suppliers of PPE products.
Businesses can use the marketplace to buy PPE at low costs, generate new leads, and build long-term partnerships with reliable suppliers.
Dr Belaid Rettab, senior director, Economic Research and Sustainable Business Development Sector, Dubai Chamber, said the exponential growth achieved by the Rapid Response Initiative in the wake of Covid-19 outbreak, reflects the rising demand for PPE products in the UAE, as well as digital solutions and services that cater to the changing needs of business in the country.
He said the Rapid Response Initiative is a prime example of how Dubai is harnessing innovation to curb the spread of Covid-19, improving ease of doing business and eliminating barriers to trade. The online marketplace is the latest in a series of Dubai Chamber initiatives supporting the business community as it navigated unprecedented challenges created by the outbreak, he said.
"The demand for personal protection equipment is not going to die out in the near future. Beyond masks and gloves, there are many items required by medical professionals which will always command a robust market," Dr Abdul Aziz Al Muhairi, director at the Sharjah Health Authority, said during a recent webinar organised by the Sharjah FDI Office.
A new analysis by Dubai Chamber based on data from TradeMap identified China as the largest exporter of medical supplies to the UAE. According to the data, the value of China's exports of Covid-19 medical supplies to the UAE reached $623.7 million during the March and June 2020 period, marking a year-over-year surge of 357 per cent.
Surgical face masks accounted for 40 per cent of the total value of medical products imported to the UAE from China, or $247.8 million, followed by $60 million worth of medical gowns (10 per cent) and face shields (nine per cent) valued at $53.8 million.
Products listed on the online PPE marketplace include surgical and reusable face masks and shields, safety goggles, hand sanitizer, disposable gloves, medical gowns and coveralls, ventilators and thermometers.
issacjohn@khaleejtimes.com 

• Dubai