Local North Carolina companies shift production to make critical PPE for health care workers
WAKE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- A number of local manufacturing companies are stepping up in the fight against COVID-19.
They're shifting their production make critical medical supplies.
In March, Governor Roy Cooper established the state's Task Force for Emergency Repurposing of Manufacturing (TFERM) to increase the amount of productive gear made at home.
"From companies like ours developing and manufacturing PPE to others leading food drives or hosting blood drives, it comes in a lot of different forms," said Ted Mosler, CEO of Gilero.
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Gilero designs medical devices but had a 3D printer and engineers in house and started making face shields. Then they got a call from the government asking for help.
On Thursday, they made 14,500 masks.
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"Companies want to do anything they can to help within their means," Mosler said. "They want to do something quickly that's effective."
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Gilero's manufacturing facility is in Pittsboro; its design facility is in Morrisville.
In addition, ASI Signage in Holly Springs along with Bright View Technologies are doing face shields.
SAAB Barracuda in Lillington is doing gowns -- normally they produce camouflage netting for the military.
The state also has a deal with Charlotte-based Honeywell for a monthly delivery of 100,000 N-95 masks through August 2021.
