ROOM, a manufacturer of privacy booths, has re-engineered its signature product to serve as a safe zone in which doctors can administer COVID-19 tests. The so-called Test Booth is a partial acrylic enclosure for patients. Gloved receptacles, built into it for caregivers’ hands, enable interaction without physical contact. Besides sharing the booth’s technical drawings, so that others may duplicate its design, the company has also launched room.com/COVID-19, where hospitals can put in a request for the device. Courtesy ROOM
As the coronavirus has shuttered cities and immobilized citizens, many manufacturers of interior and architectural products in the United States have found ways to offer support to vulnerable populations and provide free protective gear to medical professionals.
In the Northeast region, where the pandemic has seen the worst fallout, several companies have responded over the past month, supporting local efforts to fight COVID-19.
New Jersey–based furniture manufacturer Stylex acted swiftly to divert part of its personnel and fabrication equipment for response to the COVID-19 crisis. The company is cutting and sewing over 400 masks a day for distribution to local hospitals, given that its state is one of the hardest hit by the coronavirus.
In Northern New Jersey, Dauphin was inspired by the 100 Million Masks challenge to supply masks to healthcare facilities in and around Boonton, as well as to donate synthetic materials to volunteers who wish to make their own Masks.
Felt products manufacturer Filzfelt and its sister company Spinneybeck hope to hit a target of 125,000 masks—medical ones for facilities in the state of New Hampshire as well as fabric masks for nonmedical use.
Metropolis has gathered more examples from across the nation—and across the pond—of manufacturers who are developing solutions for the fight against COVID-19:
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Minnesota-based outdoor furnishings company,
Loll Designs, is currently making emergency field hospital beds out of high-density polyethylene. The beds can be assembled on-site, 100% recyclable, and easily cleanable "We want to help out. We looked at all the PPE that people on the front lines are asking for and it seems a lot are stepping up to produce the face masks,” Greg Benson, CEO of Loll Designs, explains, “With our unique manufacturing ability, a field hospital bed is something we can do that the general public can’t.”
Courtesy Loll Designs
Minnesota-based outdoor furnishings company,
Loll Designs, is currently making emergency field hospital beds out of high-density polyethylene. The beds can be assembled on-site, 100% recyclable, and easily cleanable "We want to help out. We looked at all the PPE that people on the front lines are asking for and it seems a lot are stepping up to produce the face masks,” Greg Benson, CEO of Loll Designs, explains, “With our unique manufacturing ability, a field hospital bed is something we can do that the general public can’t.”
Courtesy Loll Designs
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UK-based company
Allermuir temporarily halted production of its contemporary office and residential furniture to manufacture hospital furniture in order to support The Senator Group’s healthcare brand Teal. The company has evolved two designs allowing them to manufacture the products in-house to meet demand while illuminating certain supply risks.
Courtesy Allermuir
UK-based company
Allermuir temporarily halted production of its contemporary office and residential furniture to manufacture hospital furniture in order to support The Senator Group’s healthcare brand Teal. The company has evolved two designs allowing them to manufacture the products in-house to meet demand while illuminating certain supply risks.
Courtesy Allermuir
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As a self-proclaimed “toy company,” Phoenix-based
Burgeon Group has made swift progress in developing an innovative shield for protecting doctors and nurses bedside, while they’re connecting patients to ventilators. London Box, as the box-shaped shield is called, encloses the patient instead of the caregiver.
Courtesy Burgeon Group
As a self-proclaimed “toy company,” Phoenix-based
Burgeon Group has made swift progress in developing an innovative shield for protecting doctors and nurses bedside, while they’re connecting patients to ventilators. London Box, as the box-shaped shield is called, encloses the patient instead of the caregiver.
Courtesy Burgeon Group
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HBF and
HBF Textiles have shifted manufacturing efforts from furnishings and fabrics to production of protective gowns and washable masks—including special covers meant to be worn over and extend the use of N95 masks—for medical professionals in areas around their factories in Iowa, New York, and North Carolina.
Courtesy HBF
HBF and
HBF Textiles have shifted manufacturing efforts from furnishings and fabrics to production of protective gowns and washable masks—including special covers meant to be worn over and extend the use of N95 masks—for medical professionals in areas around their factories in Iowa, New York, and North Carolina.
Courtesy HBF
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While its showrooms are closed,
Maharam’s distribution center in Long Island, New York, is busy shipping healthcare textiles such as privacy curtains free of charge to organizations such as the Army Corp of Engineers in Chicago and to architectural firms such as NBBJ, which is currently converting Manhattan hotels into recovery spaces. The company’s fabric is also being donated to Long Island’s Habitat for Humanity for production of new protective garments.
Courtesy Maharam
While its showrooms are closed,
Maharam’s distribution center in Long Island, New York, is busy shipping healthcare textiles such as privacy curtains free of charge to organizations such as the Army Corp of Engineers in Chicago and to architectural firms such as NBBJ, which is currently converting Manhattan hotels into recovery spaces. The company’s fabric is also being donated to Long Island’s Habitat for Humanity for production of new protective garments.
Courtesy Maharam
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Because it already manufactures T7 Mobile Technology Carts, which centralize digital tools for healthcare workers,
Humanscale was able to ramp up production of these useful devices and ship them free of charge to hospitals around the world. Besides supporting medical professionals, the effort has also kept the manufacturer’s production workers on payroll during these tough times.
Courtesy Humanscale
Because it already manufactures T7 Mobile Technology Carts, which centralize digital tools for healthcare workers,
Humanscale was able to ramp up production of these useful devices and ship them free of charge to hospitals around the world. Besides supporting medical professionals, the effort has also kept the manufacturer’s production workers on payroll during these tough times.
Courtesy Humanscale
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Formica plans to donate up to 500,000 meals to Feeding America food banks. The laminate manufacturer has linked the effort to its online Lunch & Learn Program, promising that for every single view their videos receive through April 30th, the company will donate 10 meals.
Courtesy Formica
Formica plans to donate up to 500,000 meals to Feeding America food banks. The laminate manufacturer has linked the effort to its online Lunch & Learn Program, promising that for every single view their videos receive through April 30th, the company will donate 10 meals.
Courtesy Formica
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Precious Plastic is an open-source initiative, which spearheads efforts to collect, recycle, and transform plastic waste into useful new products. In response to COVID-19, the community has developed and distributed several product-design solutions for stemming the spread of the virus, including an intensive care respirator mask, visors, and a hands-free door opener (shown here.)
Courtesy Precious Plastics
Precious Plastic is an open-source initiative, which spearheads efforts to collect, recycle, and transform plastic waste into useful new products. In response to COVID-19, the community has developed and distributed several product-design solutions for stemming the spread of the virus, including an intensive care respirator mask, visors, and a hands-free door opener (shown here.)
Courtesy Precious Plastics
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Thanks to the digital fabrication capabilities at its Los Angeles manufacturing facility, architectural wall and ceilings manufacturer
Arktura found itself one of the primary suppliers of PPE to UCLA hospitals. The company developed and refined its own face mask design, and offered open-source designs to any others in the area who wished to join the effort.
Courtesy Arktura
Thanks to the digital fabrication capabilities at its Los Angeles manufacturing facility, architectural wall and ceilings manufacturer
Arktura found itself one of the primary suppliers of PPE to UCLA hospitals. The company developed and refined its own face mask design, and offered open-source designs to any others in the area who wished to join the effort.
Courtesy Arktura
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