A SOMERSET pallet manufacturer is doing its bit to keep businesses supplied with food by providing them with wooden pallets.

Staff at Somerlap, which is based in Mark, have been busy since the coronavirus outbreak producing, repairing and recycling the wooden pallets which are required to transport food and other supplies safely around the country and beyond.

The firm produces approximately two million new and used pallets every year, as well as packing crates which are distributed to a variety of businesses including supermarkets, restaurants and retail outlets.

In a bid to keep staff as safe as possible Somerlap is following Government guidelines and has closed its retail business to customers temporarily.

Kevin Bond, managing director of Somerlap, said he is ‘very proud and grateful’ to his staff for their hard work during this difficult time.

“Goods cannot be transported safely without pallets, and because of this we are an essential service during the pandemic,” Kevin said.

“Our staff have all volunteered to carry on working to help the national effort, and I’m very proud of and grateful to them all.

“We have always been a family-oriented business so we’ve taken extra steps to help those staff who have been affected and are therefore unable to work.”

Kevin said staff at the firm have the choice over whether they wish to come to work or not and additional measures have been put in place to safeguard them from the virus.

These include additional sanitizing, adhering to social distancing guidelines, split breaks with several different break areas available, and personal protective equipment (PPE).