Richmond company making face shields for Reid Health
RICHMOND, Ind. (Inside INdiana Business) — A Richmond plastics company is working to address the shortage of personal protective equipment in the Wayne County city. Primex Plastics is manufacturing two types of face shields for clinical staff fighting COVID-19 at Reid Health facilities.
The health system says the addition of the face shields will “greatly enhance” their ability to protect staff during the pandemic.
“We can’t overstate the positive impact this will have on our team members on the frontlines in facing this outbreak, especially when our heroes are from our own community,” Craig Kinyon, chief executive officer of Reid Health, said in a news release. “We have to protect our team or we risk not having people to care for patients. The team at Primex truly stepped up on our behalf – and with unbelievable speed.”
Primex says it developed, designed and scheduled mass production of the face shields, which can be used with special protective helmets at Reid, within two days.
Doug Borgsdorf, business unit director at Primex, says the company’s main product had previously been returnable protective packaging. “Now we were looking at protective packaging for people,” he said.
Borgsdorf says the company was fortunate that its suppliers were already producing the type of plastic needed for the face shields, making the right material immediately available.
Primex has not only developed the face shields that can be used with Reid Health’s helmets, but also a version that doesn’t require a helmet. The company says after the first shield is delivered, it will produce the second version, which will also alleviate a shortage of goggles.
“This time is not about business. It is a time of unity,” said Darin Dubbs, director of human resources at Primex. “Our ability to help in the crisis has been uplifting to the employees at Primex. We are happy to be able help Reid Health and others in the community, and continue to provide stable employment to our employees.”
The company says it is ramping up production to help other healthcare providers as well.