Werner Enterprises taps suppliers to bring critical medical supplies to Nebraska

Truckload carrier and logistics company Werner Enterprises Inc. has assisted the State of Nebraska in its efforts to source and deliver critical medical supplies for hospitals and public health agencies across the state in the fight against Covid-19, the company said Tuesday.

Werner tapped into its trusted global supplier base to secure over 500,000 protective gloves, 300,000 medical N95 face masks, and 5,000 infrared thermometers. The company has now delivered the entire shipment of gloves and the first 97,000 masks. Additionally, Werner has sourced and is shipping several hundred thousand additional masks that will be transported to the state’s distribution site in Lincoln, Nebraska.

“Our team has been able to purchase FDA medical supplies in the extremely competitive global marketplace and use our expertise in global shipping and U.S. customs to deliver them quickly to the State,” Werner President and CEO Derek Leathers said in a release. “Once the product lands in the U.S., Werner’s fleet delivers them from the airport to the distribution site.”

In a statement, Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts thanked the company for its work, saying Werner was helping the state to meet its needs in fighting the coronavirus.

And in another example of a freight carrier throwing its weight behind the coronavirus fight, the air freight and passenger carrier American Airlines is expanding its cargo-only operation this month to provide more than 5.5 million pounds of capacity each week to transport critical goods between the U.S. and Europe, Asia, and Latin America.

According to the airline, the flights will help transport life-saving medical supplies and materials to the U.S., including personal protective equipment (PPE) and pharmaceuticals. Other essential goods on these flights will include manufacturing and automotive equipment, fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, mail, and electronics.

“The air cargo industry plays a critical role in pulling the world together in times of crisis, and it takes all of us to get the job done,” Rick Elieson, American’s president of cargo and vice president of international operations, said in a release. “With the expansion of American’s cargo-only flights, we have more capacity to bring critical medical supplies and protective gear to the areas that need it most. We also play a key role in transporting essential goods to keep the world’s economy moving. I take immense pride in all the ways our airline and our industry are responding to make a difference when the world needs us most.”

• To see further coverage of the coronavirus crisis and how it's affecting the logistics industry, check out our Covid-19 landing page
• And click here for our compilation of virus-focused websites and resource pages from around the supply chain sector.