Ottawa & Toronto – April 24, 2020 – Today, the Hand-Sanitizers Manufacturing Exchange is pleased to announce that over one million litres of high-grade alcohol per month has been committed by Canada’s largest distillers. Through our Exchange, this alcohol has been matched with various manufacturers of hand-sanitizers across the country. To put this volume into perspective, one million litres would have been sufficient to produce nearly the entire 2019 supply of hand-sanitizers for the consumer retail market prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Since its inception in late March, the Exchange has been working to address the challenges ensuring all Canadians have access to hand-sanitizers during the pandemic. Efforts to date include:
- Identifying supplies of usable ethanol and isopropyl alcohol, as well as other necessary ingredients for hand-sanitizer production.
- A new partner, Responsible Distributors of Canada (RDC) joined the Exchange to bring their expertise in supplying the ingredient chain in Canada.
- Identifying packaging shortages for which the Exchange worked with the Government of Canada to create guidance on packaging to support the availability of alternative containers and closures.
- A 60,000 kg donation of isopropyl alcohol from Imperial Canada to the Government of Canada was matched by the Exchange with manufacturers who will ensure that the value of the donation is provided for use in the high priority health care and essential service sectors.
The Hand-Sanitizer Manufacturing Exchange is an industry initiative undertaken by Cosmetics Alliance Canada (CAC), Canadian Consumer Specialty Products Association (CCSPA), Spirits Canada/Association of Canadian Distillers, and Responsible Distribution Canada (RDC). The Exchange is matching manufacturers with input suppliers to increase the supply of hand-sanitizers during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are pleased that our Government of Canada partner has supported our effort with their time and expertise.
Media Contact:
Susan Nieuwhof, Hand Sanitizers Manufacturing Exchange
