Bilal Nael Helps To Overcome With PPE Kit Shortage

Bilal Nael's company has grown from generating $200-300,000 in monthly revenue at the start of the pandemic to over $100 million monthly as of the Middle of October, with no indication of slowing down.

Flu season and a cold-weather Covid-19 spike are expected to collide this winter. Enhanced hygiene habits and widespread use of personal protective equipment (PPE) are essential to stopping spread of Covid and seasonal cold and flu.

For consumers, demand for disinfectant wipes and other PPE supplies has never been higher. Early efforts to stop the spread of Covid led consumers to make panic purchases on everything from toilet paper to cleaning supplies and disinfectant wipes.

Disruptions in the national supply chain followed, creating the perfect storm that resulted in empty PPE supply shelves across the country. Familiar brands are already nearly impossible to find, with shortages expected to become more severe as flu and covid season converge.

With demand surging, and manufacturers unable to keep up, many are looking outside the US to respond to the need. Bilal Nael, a Portland businessman with a reputation for navigating the Asian manufacturing market, has stepped into the void created by Covid and is delivering critical PPE supplies to frontline workers, companies and consumers.

Delivering products manufactured in Asia to the US presents unique challenges under normal circumstances. With skyrocketing demand due to Covid, the landscape has become even more challenging. Fake offers proliferate the market, while delays in shipping and clearance in the US further complicate getting disinfectant wipes and other supplies to those that need them.

The process is far from simple. Once a contract is awarded for disinfectant wipes, the raw materials must be acquired and supplied to the businesses that put them together. Once manufactured, transportation and logistics must be arranged to get the supplies onto ships and into the US.

"From order to delivery, we are bringing products into the United States from China within 18 to 20 days," said Nael. "We're able to bring that efficiency thanks to relationships built over decades of doing business and living throughout Asia. It's a matter of public health and we're doing all we can to respond in this time of crisis."

"Our lives have changed," said Nael. "In the United States and across the world, we're realizing PPE and sanitizing supplies will be an important part of daily life for the foreseeable future.

Whether we're combating the spread of a virus or dealing with air quality issues as a result of global warming, the supply of PPE is critical to public health. Companies like us who have a track record of success manufacturing and delivering products from the Asian market can be part of the solution."