Comfortex Corp. is converting part of its suburban Albany window blind factory into a surgical gown and medical mask production site to help combat the spread of the coronavirus.
The Maplewood plant has the capacity to make 30,000 window shades and blinds per month, and is gearing up to make up to 10,000 masks a month.
"We are on a path to supply masks anywhere they are needed," said Comfortex president Tom Marusak.
Marusak has been working with hospitals, the governor's office and the Center for Economic Growth over the past few weeks to determine how Comfortex could transfer its engineering and manufacturing skills to help address a shortage of medical supplies.
Comfortex is among a growing number of New York companies that are looking to pivot production after Gov. Andrew Cuomo started asking manufacturers and the federal government for assistance producing masks, gowns, hospital beds and ventilators. Medical equipment is needed as doctors and nurses treat the escalating number of New Yorkers who have been diagnosed with the new coronavirus.
There are more than 26,000 confirmed cases in the state, accounting for nearly half of all cases in the United States.
"Ever since this became a global pandemic we were looking at our capabilities and our engineers were coming up with prototype masks," Marusak said.
As the president of the high-end and custom window shade company, Marusak leads a team of 300 engineers, production workers, sales and support staff who generate more than $55 million a year in sales.
Comfortex sees an opportunity to join companies like General Motors, Ford and fellow upstate New York manufacturer Precision Valve & Automation of Colonie, as they search for ways to help hospitals and government leaders bring the number of coronavirus cases under control.
Comfortex staff is still figuring out how to produce gowns and masks and make sure it adheres to U.S. Food and Drug Administration standards and guidelines.
"We are moving forward and getting set into a position to be able to produce masks and [scale up quickly]," Marusak said.