The Ceme engineering and manufacturing campus in Rainham has made its space available at discounted rates for organisations to use during the coronavirus outbreak.
Bill Williams, chief executive of The Centre for Engineering and Mechanical Excellence, said he wants people to be aware that it has the facilities and will to support them and the country “at this critical time”.
Ceme has a 12,500 square foot business continuity hub available, as well as 15 engineering workshops, laboratories and offices ranging from 200 sq ft to 2,000 sq ft.
A centre spokesman said it will negotiate with individual organsiations and offer “heavy discounts”.
Mr Williams said: “We have been extremely impressed by the way in which organisations have mobilised to fight Covid-19, from academics searching for a vaccine to car makers and engineers assembling ventilators.
“Gin distilleries have been making hand sanitiser while fashion and beauty brands have switched production to make masks and hospital gowns.
“There are very few people currently on site and those that are still working are providing critical support for the coronavirus outbreak and are following all the government guidelines.”
The campus has a 600-space car park and Mr Williams suggested this could be used as a Covid-19 test centre.
But the East London Health and Care Partnership, which is co-ordinating Covid-19 swabbing across east London, said Ceme is not being considered as a testing venue.
The opened in 2003 and is made up of three buildings on a 19-acre site as well as a conference centre, event space and technical classrooms.
The centre spokesman added that it has received enquiries to utilise the site during the Covid-19 crisis but would not disclose any further details due to “client confidentiality”.
The move by Ceme to offer its facilities comes after a number of other locations have been used for different purposes since the coronavirus outbreak began.
The South Essex Crematorium in Upminster now hosts a temporary morgue while the ExCeL centre in the Royal Docks was transformed into the Nightingale Hospital London.
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