Campari and Intercos to produce alcohol-based sanitizer for hospitals

Drinks group Campari and cosmetic products maker Intercos Group have joined forces to produce hydro-alcoholic gel hand cleaners to be donated to healthcare workers in Italy's region of Lombardy, the two companies said on Thursday. Lombardy, where Campari has its headquarters, has suffered the worst impact in the whole country from the coronavirus outbreak, with 7,593 fatalities as of Wednesday.

Italy accounts for just under 30% of the over 46,900 global deaths from the highly infectious respiratory illness. The alcohol donated by Campari has been transformed and bottled by Intercos Group, the two groups said in a statement, adding they will deliver the gel sanitizers where they are most urgently needed.

"Aware of sanitizing gel shortage in hospitals and in all sanitary facilities, we have decided to donate an amount of pure alcohol, originally intended for our production lines," Campari Chief Executive Bob Kunze-Concewitz said. Production will start on Thursday and the first batch will count fifteen thousand hand sanitizer bottles.

In recent weeks, Campari donated one million euros ($1.09 million) to a hospital in Lombardy and has made available $1 million to Another Round Another Rally, a non-profit organisation that raises emergency funds for hospitality workers in the United States. ($1 = 0.9200 euros)