As hospitals throughout the world experience critical personal protective equipment supply shortages, NRCA member and One Voice member Duro-Last® Inc., Saginaw, Mich., the world’s largest manufacturer of custom-fabricated, thermoplastic roof systems, has found a way to help.
Duro-Last engineers, product development and manufacturing staff have united to fabricate and manufacture isolation gowns and face masks. Using their expertise in manufacturing flexible PVC and fabrics, the team went from prototype to production to delivery in one week.
The gowns are made from flexible PVC, making them water and fluid-repellant. The masks are made from polyester and PVC and are washable and reusable. Duro-Last reformulated products and retooled processes to manufacture these supplies.
“This is about helping health care professionals in any way we can and at the same time keeping people employed,” said Duro-Last CEO Tom Saeli. “I am very proud of and impressed by the people in our company who quickly developed these products. Our country is full of tremendously smart, entrepreneurial people who can bring timely solutions to this unprecedented need. The need is real, and I believe it’s our obligation to act now. If the efforts of our team inspire just one other company to join this fight, it will be worth it.”
