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LBT x S&S Precision Teamup To Produce Medical PPE – Launch madeinthe757.org

Thursday, April 16th, 2020

In order to help alleviate shortages of medical PPE here in Hampton Roads, LBT Inc and S&S Precision have teamed up to produce these critical supplies.

Specifically, they are producing single-use Faceshields and reusable Face Masks. The vinyl face shield feature a closed cell foam liner and one-size-fits-all elastic headband.

While the masks are not an N95 or N95-equivalent and not designed to be a substitute for respirators, they are made from Milliken Biosmart fabric. This material incorporates a patented anti-microbial technology which enables the material to bind to chlorine in bleach when washed, creating an active barrier which kills 99.9% of bacteria and viruses. This defensive barrier is recharged with each wash in EPA-registered chlorine bleach. Sanitizing effects last up to 12 weeks with each wash and remains durable through at least 75 industrial wash cycles.

The masks also feature an internal pocket for replaceable air filters, they are designed to be worn by itself or over an N95 respirator as an additional barrier against fluids and airborne particles.

Early on, S&S Precision creates the trademark MadeInThe757 to show some pride in our local area and you see it adorned on many of their products. They had always hoped to expand its use to other companies in the defense industry and this was the perfect time to make it something bigger.

They launched the website www.madeinthe757.org to educate the public about defense against the COVID-19 virus and to showcase the equipment the team is producing.

Local hospitals have already placed substantial orders but the team is also making them available to the general public. Considering the CDC’s recent guideline change recommending individuals wear mask, this a welcome sight.

Orders of PPE in numbers below 100 are available through Tactical Distributors.

Posted in Advertiser, COVID-19 Pandemic, Industry, Medical | Comments Off on LBT x S&S Precision Teamup To Produce Medical PPE – Launch madeinthe757.org

Arc’teryx Shifts Focus from the Outside in, Brand to Apply Expertise to Make Protective Gowns for Healthcare Workers

Wednesday, April 15th, 2020

Global design company responds to COVID-19 outbreak by manufacturing 90,000 medical gowns for provincial health authorities in partnership with B.C. Apparel and Gear Association members.

(Global) NORTH VANCOUVER, Canada, April 14, 2020 – Arc’teryx Equipment is applying design to solve the medical gown shortage in the brand’s home province of British Columbia. In collaboration with key industry partners, the outdoor apparel company has prototyped and developed a medical gown for frontline healthcare workers. The pattern, design and technical specifications of the medical gown can now be accessed by manufacturers worldwide through the B.C. Apparel and Gear website.

Five hundred of these medical gowns were delivered to hospitals last week, and the brand is expected to manufacture 30,000 medical gowns in the weeks ahead. Between Arc’teryx and local manufacturing partners Mustang Survival and Boardroom Clothing, a total of 90,000 medical gowns will be delivered to community hospitals.

The call for medical gowns came directly from the local healthcare community by way of the B.C. Apparel and Gear Association, of which Arc’teryx is a member. Working alongside manufacturing partners and with the guidance of health authorities, a design was created, prototyped and tested. Within two weeks a team of Arc’teryx sewers, engineers, sample and pattern makers gathered at the ARC’One facility in New Westminster, B.C. to fulfill the first production order of 500 medical gowns.

“The world around us has shifted, and we knew that we needed to help protect our frontline healthcare workers,” said Shirley Chan, Senior Director of Product Commercialization and Quality. “There wasn’t much we could do on the medical front lines, but as apparel designers and manufacturers, we could turn our expertise to support the medical community in this fight. Creating the right gear is something we know how to do, and by making the pattern open source, we hope others with manufacturing capabilities can bring more protective equipment to those communities in need.”

The team manufacturing these medical gowns have been adhering to strict health and safety protocols at the ARC’One facility. Workstations are arranged to comply with social distancing practices, and all employees are wearing masks and gloves while working. Before the medical gowns are distributed to healthcare workers, they will be washed and sanitized by K-Bro Linen Systems, a laundry and linen service for hospitals and healthcare providers across Canada.

As part of a federal initiative to establish and secure new supply chains to produce personal protective equipment for Canadian healthcare workers, Arc’teryx is currently focused on producing medical gowns for healthcare workers in British Columbia. However, the brand will continue to consider requests from other provincial, federal, and international health authorities.

For more information about Arc’teryx Equipment and the medical gown initiative, please visit www.arcteryx.com.

To see the video, visit blog.arcteryx.com/medical-gowns.

Posted in Arc'teryx, COVID-19 Pandemic, Medical, Press Release | 1 Comment »

Mystery Ranch Continues its Charitable Mission to Produce COVID-19 Face Masks

Monday, April 13th, 2020

Social distancing mandate spurs the development of the “Street Mask”

Bozeman, Mont. (April 13, 2020) – MYSTERY RANCH, the industry-leading pack company built on a heritage of comfortable load carriage, function and durability for people who have a mission to accomplish, has expanded its efforts to build personal protective equipment (PPE) for medical personnel, essential workers and government entities in the Gallatin Valley. MYSTERY RANCH has worked in collaboration with local volunteers and members of the outdoor industry to provide over 8500 masks, and counting, to local essential workers.

MYSTERY RANCH employee builds face masks for local Bozeman hospital and government agencies.

To date, MYSTERY RANCH has sewn and donated 500+ face masks and facilitated the making of 8500 masks by sourcing, donating and cutting the materials for their local volunteer effort. “We are grateful to our employees, the outdoor industry, our suppliers, and especially Nite Ize, for stepping up at a critical time,” said Dana Gleason, CEO and Co-Founder of Mystery Ranch. Nite Ize, a Boulder, Colo. based company that designs and manufactures inventor-driven products, has supplied critical materials to the overall mask building program. Gleason continued, “Elastic is a hot commodity and they supplied some of the best in the world. A unique and new formulation to keep this project going. The 3D nose piece is also an enormous step forward in long-term comfort.”

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to partner with Mystery Ranch to provide much needed mask making supplies. The spirit of innovation is strong in the mask making community and we’re excited that Gear Ties & BetterBands can play a pivotal part in the effort to keep people safe.” Rick Case, Nite Ize CEO + Founder

MYSTERY RANCH is using the feedback from hospital workers and the experience of the past several weeks to design a new mask that will be made available to the general public and government entities who are seeking all-day protection from COVID-19. The development of the new “Street Mask” includes a more form-fitting design and technical materials for a more comfortable fit over longer periods of time. The company plans to produce both the ‘Hospital Mask’ and the ‘Street Mask’ as long as there is demand.

See the masks in production and learn more about the effort here.

Posted in Advertiser, COVID-19 Pandemic, Medical, Press Release | Comments Off on Mystery Ranch Continues its Charitable Mission to Produce COVID-19 Face Masks

US Army Launches xTech COVID-19 Ventilator Challenge – Offers $1M in Total Awards

Friday, April 10th, 2020

The Army is supporting the nation’s fight against the COVID-29 pandemic which is led by FEMA. One of their initiatives is the xTech COVID-19 Ventilator Challenge which seeks a low-cost, readily manufacturable emergency ventilator to quickly augment ventilator capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic. The technology solution must provide a rapid response breathing apparatus capable of short-term, rugged field operation.

The prize competition will evaluate technology proposals immediately upon submission and award novel solutions with a prize of $5,000 to present a virtual pitch of the technology concept to the xTech COVID-19 panel, and award prizes of $100,000 to solutions accepted by the panel to develop a concept prototype. Select technologies may receive follow on contracts for additional production and deployment.

The total prize pool is $1,000,000.00.

• Application Part 1: White Paper – $5,000

• Application Part 2: Technology Pitches – $100,000

Virtual pitches for selected companies will begin April 13.

Details here.

Submit here.

xTechSearch is a competition sponsored by the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics andTechnology (ASA(ALT)), targeting small businesses.

Posted in COVID-19 Pandemic, Design, Medical | Comments Off on US Army Launches xTech COVID-19 Ventilator Challenge – Offers $1M in Total Awards

Crye Precision Joins Brooklyn Navy Yard Emergency Response to COVID-19 Threat in New York City

Thursday, April 9th, 2020

Ask anyone at Crye Precision and they’ll tell you they’re proud to be based in New York City and prouder still to be headquartered at the famous Brooklyn Navy Yard.

Just like the Brooklyn Navy Yard built ships to help win World War Two, the current tenants of the facility have risen to the challenge of facing this nation’s newest threat, COVID-19.

Mayor Bill de Blasio recently put out the call to New York businesses to help with the medical response to the pandemic, which is hitting the Big Apple hard. A natural fit to this response are those engaged in the textile business.

Although Manhattan is an island, the domestic textile industry isn’t. It stretches across this great land and Crye Precision was able to call upon them to provide materials critical to this response. As you’ll see below, the list is long.

In fact, it’s the American textile industrial base which has made this project, as well as similar responses across the country, possible. If it weren’t for the Berry Amendment and its mandate for American made materials and finished goods, our nation would be at the mercy of other countries. Hopefully, this is a wake up call and we see more investment in such capabilities, so that when push comes to shove, America can continue to stand on her own two feet.

In response to the Mayor’s call, Crye and others have begun manufacturing medical gowns for area hospitals.

This hasn’t been easy. Not all of their team is back to work and Crye remains committed to fulfilling military and law enforcement contracts, in addition to their COVID-19 response efforts.

Earlier this week, Mayor de Blasio thanked the members of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Emergency Response for their efforts while making a visit to the various facilities.

Crye Precision Executive Director Gregg Thompson put out this statement on Instagram yesterday:

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected us all. For the past month at Crye Precision, we have teamed up with the @bklynnavyyard & @lafayette148ny to help answer the City’s call for medial PPE.

This week alone, 2.5 million surgical gowns will be used across the City in hospitals and nursing homes. Our combined efforts will hopefully alleviate part of this dire need for medical PPE by manufacturing thousands of protective hospital gowns to supply the City’s health care workers. Our goal is to create 320,000 reusable surgical gowns by the end of April.

This endeavor has been made possible by our U.S. fabric supply chain partners that we have relied on for years to make our military and law enforcement products. Suppliers like @mmitextiles, @tweave_llc , @brookwoodcos , @american_e_thred, @narroflex, @murraysfabrics Fabrics and @VastestLabs have been vital to sourcing the necessary raw materials to make these medical gowns.

We are honored to partner with companies like Lafayette 148, Stitch NYC, @kaiminofficial , @kingbridgenyc , Kustin Paul, NY Ortho, Accurate Knitting, Martin Greenfiled Clothiers, Skillset, 1947LLC, Honeywell, Tencate, Lion Apparel, Matinal Safety Apparel, Milliken, Invista, @textilenetwork, Inkcups, UFP, Flextech, Mikan and the rest of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Emergency Response cooperative during this unprecedented time, bringing the highest ingenuity to work toward a common goal to help workers on the frontline of the crisis.

Posted in Advertiser, COVID-19 Pandemic, Materials, Medical | Comments Off on Crye Precision Joins Brooklyn Navy Yard Emergency Response to COVID-19 Threat in New York City

USAF Special Instruments Training Course Instructors 3D-Print Medical Supplies

Thursday, April 9th, 2020

GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) —

The 312th Training Squadron’s Special Instruments Training course instructors have begun using their skills to 3D print prototypes to supply the medical facilities in the area with N95 face masks and face shields.

A neurosurgeon in Billings, Montana, worked with a dental company to create reusable plastic N95 masks using 3D printers. In an effort to help protect those caring for sick individuals around the world, he made a model available online for a free 3D printable, high-efficiency filtration mask with a design that allows reuse of the mask several times due to the replaceable filtration device.

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Donald Kramer, 312th Training Squadron Special Instruments Training course instructor supervisor, cuts the clear, plastic shield for the 3D printed face shields at the Louis F Garland Department of Defense Fire Academy on Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, March 31, 2020. Many SPINSTRA instructors have personal 3-D printers home, providing more resources to the project. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Robyn Hunsinger)

Instructors got the idea from Air Force Quarantine University, a public Facebook group for innovative learners to connect during the COVID-19 crisis, where they saw other organizations modeling and printing these supplies.

“We saw other people 3D printing medical supplies and we thought we should try printing things like face masks and face shields,” said Master Sgt. Manuel Campo, 312th TRS SPINSTRA flight chief.

SPINSTRA has an innovation lab containing four 3D printers as well as 3D modeling software. Although they are unsure of the needs of the 17th Medical Group and surrounding hospitals, they plan to continue to create these medical supplies in case they are needed in the future.

“We plan to present what we have created to the medical group to see if we can meet their needs and print what they need,” said Staff Sgt. Jonathan Bahr, 312th TRS SPINSTRA instructor.

Medical professionals wear personal protective equipment to protect themselves and minimize exposure. This PPE usually consists of a face mask, gloves, and goggles or a face shield.

“The most realistic option for us to make was the face shields,” Bahr said. “The purpose of the face shield is to extend the use of the face mask. The goal is to reduce the number of masks being used and thrown out after one use.”

In the future, if more masks and shields are needed to be printed, they plan to allow students to begin assisting in this project. Instructors have also reached out to other facilities on Goodfellow AFB with 3D printers to provide more medical supplies. There are even instructors with personal 3D printers providing more supplies from home.

“If we can use our skills to help, we plan to do so,” Campo said. “We want to do everything we can to help.”

By Airman 1st Class Robyn Hunsinger, 17th Training Wing Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, COVID-19 Pandemic, Design, Guest Post, Medical | Comments Off on USAF Special Instruments Training Course Instructors 3D-Print Medical Supplies

Caveat Emptor – CDC Warns of Counterfeit PPE

Wednesday, April 8th, 2020

Counterfeit items are always out there, but during a pandemic, with demand so high for Personal Protective Equipment by government and individuals alike, they are particularly reprehensible.

The Center for Disease Control has created an online resource to help you identify counterfeits and genuine items. Remember, NIOSH approves medical PPE.

Here’s just one example of a counterfeit product currently on the market.

Make sure you are buying genuine products that will actually provide the protection you demand.?. Visit www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/usernotices/counterfeitResp for full details, more examples of counterfeit items, and link to a list of approved manufacturers.

Posted in Caveat Emptor, COVID-19 Pandemic, Medical | Comments Off on Caveat Emptor – CDC Warns of Counterfeit PPE

DPS Skis, Goal Zero, Petzl and Eastman Partner to Produce Face Shields for Healthcare Workers in Utah

Wednesday, April 8th, 2020

Respected brands combine resources to help combat COVID-19

SALT LAKE CITY – April 8, 2020 – DPS Skis, Goal Zero, Petzl and Eastman Machine Company have joined forces to manufacture medical-grade reusable polycarbonate face shields for the Utah Department of Health. The combined efforts and resources of the four highly-respected brands has resulted in the expeditious manufacturing of key Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the medical community in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

“Our entire team is proud to be contributing to the nationwide effort of PPE production and are humbled by the enthusiastic support of key partners – Goal Zero, Petzl, and Eastman Machine Company – that are helping make this possible. With a 15 year history of rapid prototype-to-production manufacturing, we are in a unique situation to convert a major portion of our operations to produce protective medical face shields,” said Alex Adema, DPS President and CEO. “We are inspired by the healthcare workers who dedicate their lives to helping others. Their selfless sacrifices deserve recognition as they continue to mitigate the risk of COVID-19’s spread. We are humbled to have found ourselves in a position to mobilize this project with the passionate, soulful team at DPS and our amazing partners.”

Production of the face shields has commenced at DPS Skis’ Salt Lake City factory, with the first shipment of shields expected to be delivered in the coming weeks to Utah’s medical community. The four brands have come together in a unique way to make this possible, with tooling donated by Eastman, raw materials purchased by Goal Zero and by utilizing retrofitted Petzl headlamp headbands.

“Giving back in an impactful way is in Goal Zero’s DNA,” said Goal Zero’s General Manager, Bill Harmon. “We’re honored to support the efforts being made by our friends in the outdoor industry who share the same concerns as we do in helping to safeguard frontline medical professionals as they serve the community.”

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is in short supply and necessary in keeping medical workers protected as they test and treat those affected by the virus.

For more information, please visit the respective brand websites below.

About DPS Skis
Located at the base of the Wasatch Mountains in Salt Lake City, Utah, DPS designs the world’s most advanced ski products by fusing space age carbon technology with groundbreaking shapes. DPS is responsible for the world’s first and only pure pre-pregnated carbon fiber sandwich ski, the first 120mm-waisted powder pintail, the first rockered ski with sidecut, the Spoon – a convex three-dimensional shoveled ski with radical edge bevel and PHANTOM, a paradigm-shifting permanent, one time application base-coating that forever eliminates the need for waxing skis and snowboards. DPS products are sold on five continents and are the trusted brand of choice for serious skiers worldwide. For more information visit www.dpsskis.com or call +1.801.413.1737.

About Eastman Machine Company
Eastman has been manufacturing manually-operated cutting machines, automated (CNC) cutting systems, CAD/CAM software programs and material handling equipment in Buffalo, New York since 1888. Over a century ago Eastman introduced the world’s first electric fabric cutting machine which revolutionized the textile industry in the process. Today, the family-owned, small-cap manufacturer is a trusted supplier to global businesses that require manual or automatic cutting of flexible materials. Our promise to craft reliable, quality, American-made solutions means that every Eastman machine is guaranteed to perform. For more information visit www.eastmancuts.com or call +1-716-856-2200.

About Goal Zero
Goal Zero is the industry leader in sustainable, portable power. From emergency outages to camping to off-grid projects and events, our solar panels, power banks, power stations, and accessories give you the power to keep your gear charged through any situation. We were born out of the desire to empower people everywhere, and as an NRG company we’re working to change the way people think about and use power by pioneering the development of smarter energy choices. Power. Anything. Anywhere. For more information, visit www.GoalZero.com.

About Petzl
For over 40 years, Petzl has developed innovative tools and techniques used by those who work and play in the vertical world. Today, the Petzl brand is closely associated with adventure, exploration, rescue, and many notable exploits in the worlds of rock climbing, caving, and alpinism. In the professional market, Petzl is a world leader in work-at-height, fire and rescue, and tactical equipment and techniques. A family-owned business, Petzl is committed not only to quality and innovation, but also to giving back to the communities that have made us so successful. For more information, visit www.petzl.com.

Posted in COVID-19 Pandemic, Industry, Medical, Press Release | Comments Off on DPS Skis, Goal Zero, Petzl and Eastman Partner to Produce Face Shields for Healthcare Workers in Utah