Melissa Mangold, left, with Bernice Hudler, assistant production manager. (Photo Provided.)
While we are all tired of social distancing, we can’t forget that people are still getting sick and dying. This is a sober reminder that the pandemic is dangerous, and we have a responsibility to protect ourselves, our loved ones and others in our communities by wearing PPE when necessary.
CINCINNATI (PRWEB)
May 29, 2020
Casco Manufacturing Solutions of Cincinnati has created three new personal protection equipment (PPE) products that are not only made in the U.S.A. by a woman-owned company, they are affordable, washable and reusable.
Casco president and CEO Melissa Mangold said the 60-year-old company is making face masks, boot and shoe covers and gowns of polypropylene fabric under its Casco C-Matt brand.
The products are best used for frontline medical providers or medical professionals dealing with patients, such as nurses, technicians or physical therapists. The masks work up to Level 2 medical care; Casco is currently testing Level 3 masks.
The PPE can also be used by medical office administrative staff; long-term care facilities; surgical centers; home-care health providers; manufacturing, meatpacking; retail stores; and the general public to prevent the spread of infection.
The products are Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-registered, and can be washed and reused multiple times, which will save on landfill space, said Mangold.
According to the Asian Development Bank in the Philippines, during the coronavirus outbreak in Hubei province in the People’s Republic of China, infectious medical waste increased 600 percent from 40 tons per day to 240 tons per day.
In the U.S., American hospitals normally produce more than five million tons of medical waste each year, according to Practice Greenhealth of Reston, Va., a nonprofit working for sustainable, environmental stewardship and best practices by health care communities.
“Can you image the impact on our landfills and our air quality from incineration if our medical waste in the U.S. is increased six times, as China’s has been?” asked Mangold. “In addition to our healthcare crisis, we may be facing a landfill crisis for products that don’t biodegrade for many years. By washing and reusing protective gear, we can reduce at least some of that landfill waste.”
Casco Matt Reusable Face Masks are white, with a two-tie attachment, and are machine-washable and latex-free. They are made of 10-millimeter, spunbond polypropylene and designed for moderate to high-risk fluid environments, with a wide, pouch-style design that gives users more room to breathe. They come in cases of 200 and cost $123 to $132 per case. They will soon be available on Amazon for $158 per case of 200. They are not designated N95.
Casco-branded Black Shoe and Boot Covers (Booties) are one-size fits-most and made from latex-free, hydrophobic polypropylene that prevents fluids from penetrating the product or shoes. They are durable, washable in warm or cold water, and can be air-dried or placed in a dryer on a low temperature. They also have a slip-resistant, floor-gripping bottom and are sold in 50-pair boxes at recommended prices ranging from $105 to $123 per box. They are also available on Amazon in boxes of five pairs for $20; 10 pairs for $35; and 25 pairs for $75.
Casco’s white gowns are made of spunbond polypropylene fabric. Based on market research, Casco took elastic off the wrist for user convenience. They cost $1,000 to $1,154 per box of 200 units.
Casco’s new products have been so popular that Mangold is exploring a second shift for its production team and is adding an overtime shift on Saturdays, she said.
“There is plenty of room in the U.S. market for entrepreneurs to make products that are washable and reusable,” she said. “You get more life out of your product for the money you spend, as well as reduce transportation costs and landfill waste.
“The bottom line is, American jobs are at stake. There is no reason to buy this kind of equipment from outside the U.S. when we make it here in Ohio with Cincinnati labor and can ship anywhere in the world within a short window of time.”
A fourth product Casco has added to its production line is something it’s not actively promoting. Casco made body bags during the First Gulf War and has been making them again since the COVID-19 outbreak began.
“While we are all tired of social distancing, we can’t forget that people are still getting sick and dying,” she said. “This is a sober reminder that the pandemic is dangerous, and we have a responsibility to protect ourselves, our loved ones and others in our communities by wearing PPE when necessary.”
Casco is one of a handful of soft goods manufacturers left in the U.S. It follows the Centers for Disease Control, the National Institutes of Health, and local boards of health guidelines on how to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Casco manufactures its own C-Matt hospital line of mattresses and covers, and the Casco Prevention Plus Pad, a wheelchair pad designed to help eliminate “hot spots” for wheelchair patients to prevent, as well as heal, pressure injuries.
For information about Casco Manufacturing Solutions products, visit http://www.cascomfg.com or call Casco assistant general manager Jeff Hummeldorf at (513) 681-0003.
Contact: Melissa Mangold
Email: mmangold@cascomfg.com
PHone: (513) 681-0003
About Casco Manufacturing Solutions:
Casco Manufacturing Solutions in Cincinnati is an original equipment manufacturer specializing in cutting, sealing, and sewing top-quality products for soft goods industry leaders. A third-generation, certified woman-owned company, Casco also manufactures its own C-Matt hospital line of mattresses, covers and the Casco Prevention Plus Pad, a wheelchair pad designed to help eliminate “hot spots” for wheelchair patients to prevent as well as heal pressure injuries.