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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E453]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CAROLINA COVERTECH MAKES A DIFFERENCE
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HON. JOE WILSON
of south carolina
in the house of representatives
Friday, May 15, 2020
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, in the midst of the
battle against the Wuhan Virus it is refreshing to read of innovations
by small businesses to protect our courageous health professionals.
The Augusta Chronicle first page featured Lisa Stuart of Carolina
CoverTech on May 4th with a thoughtful article by Staff Writer Damon
Cline, which I include in the Record:
Carolina CoverTech makes 12,000 products that--as the
company slogan says--``cover, protect, contain and enclose.''
But it wasn't until this month that the third-generation
manufacturer made a product to cover and protect health care
workers.
The North Augusta-based custom fabricator--best known for
producing commercial awnings, golf car fabrics and spill-
control guards for the oil industry--is making disposable
isolation gowns for University Hospital.
With the COVID-19 pandemic draining the nation's supply of
personal protection gear, the hospital called on CoverTech to
produce a special run to help get it through the shortage.
``Three weeks ago we had never made one, ever,'' CoverTech
President Rian True said. ``Now we're making 2,000 a day.''
Although the company and the hospital are less than 15
minutes apart, the idea of a supplier-customer relationship
was something neither knew was possible.
But when gown stockpiles started running low, University
began searching for options while volunteers and staff
cranked out up to 1,200 smocks a day using inexpensive
sealing machines and plastic sheeting from home improvement
stores.
In a facility that disposes of 2,000 gowns a day, hospital
officials predicted all inventory would be exhausted by the
time the pandemic's predicted ``curve'' began its upward
ascent. Mike Brown, University's director of materials
management, offhandedly mentioned the dilemma to Greg
Shuford, the pharmacy manager at University's Summerville
campus.
Shuford happened to know True, and he quickly put the two
together.
CoverTech operations manager Lisa Stuart said the plant
started producing prototypes using existing material within a
day of the first meeting.
``We like people who come to us and need us to solve a
problem,'' she said. ``We can be agile and do things
quickly.''
After a few modifications and switching the material to a
textured plastic sheeting, the plant had created a gown that
fit the hospital's needs. True said it took a little over a
week to get the gown line up to full production.
Brown said some of the hospital's nursing staff have
mentioned they prefer CoverTech's smock to the ones sourced
from the hospital's medical-equipment supplier.
``They say its a little more durable,'' Brown said. ``So
they have managed to make a gown that is of equivalent
quality and is a little more durable.''
The gowns, generally light blue in color, keep bodily
fluids from contaminating health care workers' clothing and
scrubs. The gowns are worn by all workers treating suspected
or confirmed COVID-19 patients.
Reed said he enjoys designing products for all designing
products for all types of applications, but that the gown
project was especially satisfying.
``We feel like we're helping make a little bit if a
difference,'' he said.
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