When contractors in China needed to construct a 1,600-bed hospital within 10 days to treat coronavirus patients in Wuhan, they turned to Armstrong Flooring, which had vinyl sheet flooring for healthcare facilities on hand.
The challenge was getting the product shipped and installed within an extremely quick timeframe, in an area that was quarantined.
Armstrong Flooring and its distributor received the request for about 7,000 square meters of flooring for Leishenshan hospital on Feb. 1. Although there were quarantine restrictions on Wuhan, the flooring company’s distributor Wuhan Ruichang had MedinPro homogeneous vinyl sheet in stock, a flooring with the durability and chemical stain resistance suitable for hospitals.
The distributor shipped the flooring the day after receiving the request and started installation the next day.
“The most challenging part was to complete the installation within such a short period,” said Ivan Yu, Armstrong Flooring’s General Manager for Asia. “China was in the Lunar New Year holiday. Even though installers returned to work, many more were still needed to meet the deadline. Distributors provided additional training to 45 workers to complete the installation.”
Restrictions put in place to help limit the spread of the virus also meant that many employees were not able to return to work at the usual time after the New Year. However, the flooring distributor worked throughout this period to support construction of the hospital.
“We are grateful for the work and commitment of Wuhan Ruichang and the installers who returned to work early,” Yu said. “During the holiday, Armstrong Flooring staff worked remotely to coordinate the work between the contractor and distributors. Good teamwork and quick response came together to make this possible.”
Within about two days after the flooring installation, the hospital was completed.
Armstrong Flooring and its distributor also supplied flooring for Huoshenshan Hospital, another emergency hospital built in Wuhan.
“Our hearts go out to the many families who have lost loved ones and to those who have become ill,” Yu said. “We are thankful for the medical staff and others who are caring for patients, and we are committed to doing our part in the construction of facilities to support their efforts.”