Tsunami response – 2004
At the time of the tsunami in the Indian Ocean region in 2004, Evenproducts was already a well known entity in the water and sanitation equipment market and was called upon to supply an unprecedented volume and range of equipment into the region via major charities and relief organisations. Steel water storage tanks, collapsible bladder tanks and tapstands, in particular, were in great demand
As soon as the news broke about the tsunami disaster, Evenproducts staff came in from their Christmas break to be available if needed and to action requests for assistance coming in from aid organisations.
Within days of being in receipt of these supply requests, Evenproducts had realised that the scale of the disaster was unprecedented and that extreme measures were going to be needed to meet the huge demand for its equipment.
In consequence, a project coordinator was appointed and daily planning meetings convened to review requirements and assess manufacturing and kitting priorities. Space became an obvious issue and it was decided to erect 2 temporary marquees on site to cope with the volume of goods going through the factory site, the quantity of kits being made up and the large number of crates being packed and sent out.
Seeing that there was a problem, the company’s local haulage company offered an empty 40 foot trailer and moved this on to the Evenproducts site in order to provide more dry working space. Similarly, a local farmer became aware of the capacity issue and offered the use of an empty warehouse on his farm for extra work space and storage.
Working with Aid Agencies
Evenproducts worked alongside a large number of aid organisations involved on the ground: from major names in the aid world to smaller charities who were equally anxious to make a difference in an area where the water infrastructure had broken down almost completely.
Incoming orders were prioritised and staff worked tirelessly for over three months to ensure that goods going out to the affected region were shipped as rapidly as possible. Where raw materials had to be bought in from suppliers, those companies also rose to the challenge – increasing supply and in many cases stepping up their own production to fulfil demand.
Goods shipped included dozens of water tanks manufactured to order and water storage bladders in kits, all helping to meet the needs of displaced people who found themselves suddenly living in areas without even the most basic water supply.