Plastics manufacturer joins fight against Covid-19
Tessy Plastics announces plans to manufacture face shields in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The face shields are scheduled to begin production early next week.
Tessy has been prototyping a variety of products related to the testing and treatment of the Covid-19 pandemic, due to the shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Tessy invested in the injection moulds necessary to produce the face shields, and has partnered with Onondaga County on this effort.
Roland Beck, president and owner commented: “We are dedicating our engineering and manufacturing resources to get these face shields into market as quickly as possible. I am excited our team has been able to develop this product to support our local community.”
The face shield is a three-piece assembly that is comprised of a headband, visor, and shield. The product is used to protect the facial area and associated membranes from splashes, sprays, and spatter of body fluids.
Talking about the design, Stafford Frearson, vice president of engineering, said: “Initially, we 3D printed the prototype and modified the design for injection moulding capability, functionality, and comfort. The face shield is engineered to minimise the ability for particles to be exposed to a person’s face. It is a one size fits all and can be sanitised for medical use. Each face shield will be shipped as a separate component for quick assembly in the field. This approach allows us to reduce our time to market and increase the volume as needed.”
Onondaga County has supplied funds to support the local frontline responders at the hospitals and nursing homes with an initial order of 30,000. During Onondaga County executive Ryan McMahon’s daily Covid-19 media briefing on March 31st, 2020, McMahon stated: “PPE supply is going to be an ongoing issue and to work with a world-class company like Tessy to make products we need immediately is really important. I want to thank the Beck family and certainly our Tessy family overall for their partnership. We are happy to be their first order, and it’s PPE that is sorely needed”.
Beck concluded: “New York State has some of the highest confirmed Covid-19 cases in the country, and it means a lot to us to assist in any way that we can during this difficult time.”