Wasatch Container (CONT’D FROM PAGE 16)
Q: In light of overall trends, where do you see the prod- uct going from here? A: Scott : I think the big manufacturers are ramping up pro- duction, and will get their products into the market soon, particularly in urban areas. But there are a lot of small regional hospitals and clinics that have a hard time com- peting on the open market with the big health systems. I’m hoping this and other products can make their way to those smaller organizations, where there’s real need. I’d also like to get this in front of the grocery store chains and convenience stores. The workers stocking shelves and at the check-out stands need protection, and this could help. Q: If you’re not getting rich, what are you getting out of this? A. Scott : It’s been fun to work on it, and it’s a good feeling that we’re making a difference. Wasatch Container has re- ally gotten behind this project. Their attitude hasn’t been, “How do we make money on this?” It’s been, “How can we help?” A: Brett : It’s not a big order by any means, but we’re jump- ing in because it’s the right thing to do. We’re the kind of company that when people work with us, they stick with us for a long time. And I think it’s a viable product over the long term. For more information, visit www.wasatchcontainer. com and www.wasatchinnovations.com .
A: Scott: They were quick. We spent last week running tests on the manufacturing line and doing a lot of tweaking to get it right. When we got a working model off the pro- duction line, I gave it to my neighbor, who is a paramedic. He wore it all day. It was comfortable, durable, and didn’t fog up. “I want more of these,” he said. A: Brett: We’re using the foam manufacturing line to pro- duce the product, and then we’ll assemble it, bag it, and box it. We helped Scott refine his prototype, and we’re on track to deliver the order to the state. The biggest hurdle was getting samples of the hard plastic to use in the face shield. It took us a week to source something we could then test on the foam cutting machine. Sourcing the hard plastic is still the biggest obstacle, it’s a very high-demand product right now. Q: How did you secure a PO from State Purchasing? A: Scott : As we were getting closer to a finished product, I reached out to Clark Cahoon at the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. Through him, I got connected to Stephanie Frohman at EDCUtah, who is serving as the lead for In-Utah Manufacturing for the Medical Supplies Work Group under Utah’s Unified Command for Coronavi- rus Response. She’s been out beating the bushes for com- panies to adapt production to PPE, and worked with State Purchasing to to evaluate the product and issue a PO.
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April 27, 2020
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