24
MiMfg Magazine
May 2020
MFG
@ Work
What’s Happening
in Michigan
Manufacturing
In Times of Crisis,
Manufacturers Step Up
The industry response during
the COVID-19 crisis has been an
inspiring show of how supportive
manufacturers are of their workers,
their communities and the front
line effort to locate solutions in
this global pandemic.
Among the countless stories
unfolding in recent months:
• Carhartt, a brand synonymous
with protective gear, announced
efforts to produce 50,000 medical
gowns and more than 2.5 million
masks to go to first responders
and health care workers.
• Eaton is offering its expertise
in additive manufacturing and
3D printing to provide health
care workers with immediate
access to personal protective
equipment (PPE). The
manufacturer has ramped up
production of face shields at
its Southfield location for
donation to hospitals across
the country.
• Roofing manufacturer Duro-Last
has converted its standard
Saginaw production to
produce more than 1,500
gowns and 500 masks daily.
• Bay City’s Michigan Sugar
Company donated more than
2,600 restaurant gift cards to
its employees as a way to say
“thank you” and provide a
much-needed boost to
local businesses.
• Jackson-based Orbitform created
an innovative Mask-Sanitizer
to help disinfect disposable face
masks and allow for some re-
use during shortages at health
DuPont Moves to Speed
Up PPE Production with
Operation Airbridge
Many members are
stepping up in the face of
the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pictured, Carhartt has
overhauled their facility
to produce much-needed
medical gowns and masks
for health care workers.
care clinics, hospitals, fire
stations, police stations and
nursing homes. The stainless
steel cabinet is sized for
convenient transportation
from room to room and can
sanitize 10 masks at a time.
• Ironwood’s Stormy Kromer
shifted production resources
to make and distribute masks
and disposable/washable
gowns for first responders
and health care workers.
“We are continually impressed
by the outpouring of support from
the manufacturing community,”
said MMA President & CEO
John Walsh. “Every day another
company is stepping forward
either to innovate a new product,
support their local community or
set aside what is ‘normal’ for them
in order to meet an urgent need.
These stories showcase the true
heart of our industry.”
DuPont has partnered with
the US Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS)
and FedEx to provide expedited
shipping of Tyvek® garments
critical to COVID-19 relief
efforts, an effort called
Operation Airbridge.
The operation aims to
accelerate delivery of Tyvek®
personal protection equipment
(PPE), moving them via air
instead of ocean. This will enable
additional Tyvek® garments to be
available even faster to support the
COVID-19 relief efforts in the
US. In coordination with FedEx,
two initial shipments carried over
450,000 Tyvek® protective
coveralls with plans for 500,000+
Tyvek® garments to be shipped
weekly moving forward.
“Since the COVID-19 crisis
began, DuPont employees have been
working 24/7 to provide protection
to those who are protecting us
through the pandemic,” said David
Domnisch, global business leader
for DuPont Personal Protection.
“We are proud to be a partner in
Project ‘Airbridge’ with the HHS
and FedEx to help expedite the
delivery of Tyvek® protective apparel
to the frontline responders who
need it most.”
Since January, DuPont has
worked with governments, non-
profits and suppliers to provide
PPE to the global relief efforts for
COVID-19, activating 19 global
production facilities to deliver more
than 9 million garments per month.
Once the shipments have
arrived in the United States, they