Tracking US manufacturers’ shift toward PPE during the coronavirus pandemic
As the pandemic began to affect every aspect of life and business in the U.S. in March, supply chains came into national focus. Health systems and governments knew they needed robust, resilient personal protective equipment (PPE) supply chains to successfully defeat the virus. But, with most essential supplies produced outside of the U.S., supply disruptions, policy changes and freight snarls threatened U.S. institutions’ ability to successfully procure PPE in a timely manner.
U.S. manufacturers responded by launching production lines or repurposing existing ones, citing a variety of motivations. Some said it was for the good of the fight against the virus. Some said they wanted to gain “essential” status in order to keep machines humming and staff employed. Some saw the market opportunity in insatiable demand and a new U.S. mindset of preparedness that may last beyond the current threat. From publicly traded tech giants to independent contract sewers, they dove into new processes, new products and new skills.
Below, Supply Chain Dive tracks the manufacturing shift toward PPE, including production of ventilators, surgical gowns, N95 respirators and face shields at scale.
If you have information about a manufacturer making PPE at scale, or updated information about a manufacturer on the list, please email us at [email protected].
