Rock Hill companies gear up production against coronavirus medical mask shortage.
Rock Hill sister companies typically produce battlefield tourniquets, aerospace and defense products, championship auto race teams.
Now, they make masks.
The TechPark trio of Composite Resources, CAT Resources and CORE Autosport launched a new production line on Friday. As of Monday morning, they’d already sold thousands of emergency medical masks.
“We’re ramping up production this week,” said Morgan Brady, CORE Autosports COO and managing partner with Composite Resources. “We have a concept that’s going to be going into production. We’re in contact with all our government agencies just trying to do what we can to meet the need.”
The cotton poly filter masks are available for sale online through Composite Resources in packs of five or 100. The company is in contact with government agencies in need of stock for hospitals or other medical responders to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Yet, Brady said, production isn’t limited to government agencies. Anyone can order.
“We’re getting orders from across the country,” he said.
Right now the companies can produced thousands of masks per day. They may scale up production in coming weeks, if necessary. There is no set timeline.
“We’ll do it for as long as there’s a need,” Brady said.
Availability of medical facemasks is a widespread concern. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently put out new guidelines on optimizing a dwindling supply of masks as coronavirus spreads. Those guidelines include crisis level options, if needed, like limited reuse of masks, use of masks beyond their recommended shelf lives and makeshift masks like bandannas or scarves.
The State newspaper reported on Friday — the same day the Rock Hill companies began production — that the state health department and National Guard began distribution of expired medical equipment like gowns, masks, face shields and gloves to hospitals and medical offices in attempt to keep up with the coronavirus care crisis.
The Rock Hill companies hope to help with mask shortages not only with production, but through design.
“What’s great about it is it’s washable and reusable,” Brady said.
Rock Hill isn’t the only area looking to adapt to a medical crisis. Lancaster County recently proposed a bold program to bring more critical medical supply production companies to the area.
Jamie Gilbert, executive director of the county’s economic development department, proposed an elimination of property taxes for a decade, donated land and county-owned business parks and speedy permitting for manufacturers that set up shop in Lancaster County and provide life-saving medical products.
Lancaster County Council votes on the plan March 23.
The rationale, Gilbert said last week, is medical supply production close to home makes it easier to keep products stocked.
“The limited number, and in some cases total absence, of domestic life-saving medical products manufacturers here in the U.S. makes it nearly impossible to meet increased demands in the event of a national emergency,” he said.
Relying on production outside the country, he contends, allows for scenarios where products can be witheld for political or trade reasons.
“That is unacceptable and inhumane,” Gilbert said.
Combined, the Rock Hill companies employ 240 people. Like other companies, they’ve been impacted by the coronavirus and social distancing measures that keep many people home. CORE Autosport typically works with Porsche race teams throughout the country.
“All the races through June have been canceled so far,” Brady said. “We’ve been fortunate to keep everybody employed.”
Yet the companies have capability to adapt. Composite Resources turned its usual aerospace and defense work into design and development of the new masks. CAT Resources produces combat application tourniquets for military and hospital use. Tourniquet production will continue, but masks are a separate focus.
“It was fairly complex,” Brady said of the quick transition, “but in these trying times anything’s possible.”
