As soon as Jamestown Plastics’ owner, Jay Baker, heard the appeal for the production of additional personal protective equipment (PPE) due to the COVID-19 crisis, he and his team were inspired to help. The Jamestown Plastics team immediately set to work designing face shields for the health care and emergency response industries.
Jamestown Plastics is one of the most highly diversified custom plastics companies in the world. For over 60 years, their core philosophy has been to fulfill customer needs through diversification, innovation, and invention—variation across industries, products, and processes creates an innovative corporate culture where cross-pollination of ideas and techniques flourishes.
Rather than simply copy the style of face shields that have been around for decades, they chose to do what comes naturally when inventing, designing, and creating—they began with a clean sheet of paper and asked, “How can we invent a better solution with enhanced features?” This approach has resulted in multiple patents on their products such as the Clamtainer (Click it Clam™) and DoomBox™. In just 24 hours, the idea developed through invention, design, machining, and production stages into a physically useable solution, on the front lines of a medical office in Mayville.
Baker said, “Innovation is hardwired into how we approach life here, and none of it would be possible without our ‘Jamestown Plastics Family’ of incredible employees who know going above and beyond is in all of our job descriptions.”
Thus, the TrueHero™ face shield was born.
As the name suggests, the TrueHero™ Extreme Coverage Face Shields provide maximum protection from airborne germs. Constructed of Clearon™, a medical grade, PETG plastic, the face shields offer exceptional visual clarity. Additionally, the reinforced shield features a proprietary flanged edge that, unlike flat shields, maximizes protection from the periphery. Multi-Port Exhaust channels release heat and moisture, yet preclude the entry of germs. The TrueHero™ shield offers full-range view ability, is extremely lightweight, and easily grasped from behind to satisfy handling protocol. TrueHero™ attaches with an infinitely adjustable hook-and-loop strap for all-day comfort, and a foam forehead pad enhances comfort. The shield can be customized by simply trimming the material with scissors, and it was designed with safety and gratitude in mind for our true heroes—medical personnel and first responders on the front lines.
Chautauqua County and the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA) have led the charge in communicating the need for additional PPE production countywide, encouraging manufacturers to retool, where able, to produce supplies needed for COVID-19 pandemic response. County and CCIDA staff are providing technical assistance and support to Jamestown Plastics.
County Executive PJ Wendel said, “I met with the Jamestown Plastics team last week, and we discussed the need for Personal Protection Equipment to address the pandemic. It was clear at that time that Jamestown Plastics was motivated to develop a product, in the form of a face shield, which would surpass the currently available products. And they’ve done just that. We are blessed to have a company of this quality right here in Chautauqua County.”
Mark Geise, Deputy County Executive for Economic Development/Chief Executive Officer of the CCIDA said, “Manufacturers from throughout the County are validating their resiliency, flexibility, and craftiness as they pivot their operations to address the needs created by the pandemic. Once again, Jay Baker and his team at Jamestown Plastics are demonstrating why they are industry leaders in custom thermoforming and packing solutions.”
Jamestown Community College (JCC) is also actively supporting the company’s new initiative. JCC President Daniel DeMarte and his Workforce Readiness team immediately responded to fulfill interim solutions related to upscaling the new product line.
“When JCC received a call from Cattaraugus County Emergency Operations Centers to produce protective face shields using our 3-D printing capabilities, we worked quickly to galvanize our resources,” said Holger Ekanger, JCC’s Vice President of Workforce Readiness.
Within one day, JCC also met with Jamestown Plastics to help coordinate the key components for production and distribution of the face shields on an accelerated basis — and in far more substantial quantities than JCC’s 3-D printers can produce. Working closely with Jamestown Plastics, Emergency Management professionals in Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Allegany counties, and BOCES Superintendents, the team created a logistics plan to fulfill the 14,000 face shields needed locally, followed by order coordination for the additional 59 statewide Emergency Operations Centers.
“We are proud to assist those in our community, our region, and across the state who are fighting an unseen but demonstrably vicious foe,” said DeMarte. “Helping our partners create solutions to immediate workplace needs is what we do best.”
For more information about TrueHero™ Extreme Coverage Face Shields go to https://trueheroshield.com/ or call the 24/7 TRUEHERO hotline at 716-338-1485.
About Jamestown Plastics
Located in Brocton, NY and Brownsville, Texas, the company is a custom manufacturer of thermoformed products in the medical, aerospace defense, electronics, consumer goods, automotive, and other industries. With up-to-date Solid Works and CAM programs, their in-house engineering and tooling departments provide complete reverse engineering and rapid prototyping capabilities, including laser scanning and digitizing. From class 1,000 to 10,000 clean rooms to high precision robotic trimming and laser technologies, they have it all. If it’s available in a sheet, roll, or cut form, they can produce product from it. The company is quality control certified as ISO:9001:2015, and offers contract packaging and fulfillment services.
About CCIDA
The CCIDA is an economic development organization authorized and empowered by the State of New York to make Chautauqua County a better place to work, live, visit, and conduct business. The organization facilitates development by attracting new businesses, while promoting the retention and expansion of existing businesses. Assistance in the form of incentives – tax abatements, low interest loans, and bond financing – enhances the opportunities for job creation and retention for our businesses. For more information, visit www.ccida.com.
