CEMATEX Elects Permanent Secretary General

ZURICH — March 31, 2020 — A new Secretary General has been chosen by Cematex, the European Committee of Textile Machinery Manufacturers. Cornelia Buchwalder has served on an interim basis since June 2019, following the retirement of Maria Avery, and was elected to the permanent position by the Cematex Board on March 12.

Buchwalder has a wide knowledge of the global textile equipment sector, having managed the Swiss Textile Machinery Association since 2013 and been closely involved in organizing participation at the major global trade shows and various international events. Her experience takes in the ITMA exhibitions in Europe at Milan (2015) and Barcelona (2019), as well as three ITMA Asia + CITME fairs, in 2014, 2016 and 2018.

She will continue to combine the two posts as Secretary General of both Swiss Textile Machinery and of Cematex.

Cematex President Fritz P. Mayer, said ,“I am very pleased with the new permanent appointment of Cornelia Buchwalder, and I am confident the industry will continue to benefit from her knowledge, dedication, energy and enthusiasm, as we face the ongoing challenges of delivering the best textile technology to our manufacturing partners worldwide.”

 Posted March 31, 2020

Source: CEMATEX

Evolution St. Louis Team Hires Knit Programmer At Its High-Tech Facility

ST. LOUIS — March 31, 2020 — Evolution St. Louis — a high-tech, highly advanced knitting facility in the United States — has hired knit programmer Kristen Barnes at its facility at 3830 Washington Blvd. in St. Louis.

Barnes will help Evolution St. Louis manufacture a broad range of products with its 3D and Knit & Wear complete garment technology — including fully fashioned knits, complex shapes, footwear and smart textiles.

“The flatbed knitting technology at Evolution St. Louis is smart and sustainable,” Barnes said. “I’m excited to be a part of a company that is revolutionizing how knitwear is created in America. The applications of this technology are far-reaching and already being used in industries beyond fashion, including medical and automotive.”

Barnes started her career with STOLL America, working her way up from knitwear intern to knitwear pattern engineer. Before moving to St. Louis, she worked for Lululemon Athletica in Vancouver as a knitwear research scientist.

“Kristen and the other programmers we will hire will help Evolution St. Louis use STOLL’s high-tech flatbed knitting machines and other innovative technologies to re-establish the United States as a leader in advanced manufacturing and production,” said John Elmuccio, co-founder of Evolution St. Louis.

“Kristen’s experience in flatbed knitting, as well as design will help us serve customers across the United States,”said Jon Lewis, co-founder of Evolution St. Louis.

Barnes graduated from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in fashion knitwear design.

Posted March 31, 2020

Source: Evolution St. Louis

Burlington Medical Barrier Fabrics Increases Production Amid COVID-19 Outbreak

GREENSBORO, N.C. — March 31, 2020 — Burlington® Barrier Fabrics, a division of Burlington Industries LLC, and part of Elevate Textiles, has increased production of its Maxima® Medical Barrier collection in response to the recent COVID-19 outbreak. Burlington Barrier Fabrics is committed to engineering and producing state-of-the-art healthcare fabrics.

For over 40 years, Burlington has been in the Medical business manufacturing fabrics for use in operating theaters such as surgeon’s gowns, isolation gowns, sterilization wrapper packs, drapes, scrubs and lab coats. Burlington is a world leader providing superior protective products to the health care market. Our Maxima products are highly protective, extremely comfortable, and offer maximum durability.

The Maxima collection of fabrics is the standard in the industry for reusable isolation and surgical gowns creating less impact on the environment. A global collection, Maxima® is sold in Europe and the United States, meeting EN 13795, The Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (A.A.M.I) for Levels 1-4 and FDA Standards. This line of reusable, fluid resistant surgical fabrics is engineered for top of the line performance and safety.

“Our commitment to the protection of our first responders and healthcare professionals is our top priority during this global crisis,” said Allen Smith, president of Burlington, Safety Components & A&E Americas. “We have increased production of our Maxima Medical Barrier fabrics and are partnering with organizations across the industry to supply those on the front lines with the personal protective equipment needed to keep them safe amidst this outbreak. We appreciate the commitment and dedication of our workforce in Burlington plants in the USA and China to supply these fabrics to support the global fight against COVID-19.”

Nelson Bebo, vice president of sales, added: “Our traditional apparel supply chain is shifting to realign manufacturing capabilities to help meet the critical demands of our medical professionals on the front lines. We have reallocated resources to support the evolving industry landscape and provide Maxima products to key retail, brand and governmental partners.”

For inquiries into sourcing Burlington’s medical barrier products, please complete the contact form at burlingtonfabrics.com and a sales representative will respond.

Posted March 31, 2020

Source: Burlington Industries

LSU Team Supporting Physicians, Combatting COVID-19 By Creating Masks, Ventilator Parts

BATON ROUGE, La. — March 30, 2020 — LSU Biomedical Engineering senior Meagan Moore is never one to back down from a challenge, especially if it means helping others — she created a cancer model to help personalize treatment last year. So, why would the coronavirus pandemic be any different?

Working alongside LSU Medical Physics and Health Physics Director Wayne Newhauser, emergency room physician Tom Fox, two LSU physics students, and members of the community, Moore is once again helping those in need by creating face masks, ventilators, and face shields for nurses and doctors working with COVID-19 patients at LSU Health in New Orleans.

Before Moore got the call to help create a ventilator prototype less than a week ago, she and her mother Kathryn Moore were knee deep in looking at patterns and sewing face masks for the nurses and doctors in New Orleans who are treating patients with COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Moore and Kathryn, who has two degrees in the fashion and textile merchandise field, followed a mask pattern they found online that was designed by a hospital chain. They, along with other experienced seamstresses, found the pattern difficult to follow, so they improvised.

Their mask consists of two layers of tightly woven cotton sewn together with elastic bands that go over the ears. Once elastic became hard to come by, Kathryn got creative and used elastic bands from old Mardi Gras ball masks.

“Ideally, the mask is going over an N-95 mask to provide additional protection so the N-95 can continue being used,” Moore said. “Our masks can be sterilized appropriately at the hospitals because most people aren’t going to use or don’t have the level of disinfectant needed at their house.”

So far, Kathryn has sewn more than 130 masks, with each one taking 30 to 45 minutes to sew.

“My mom has been very meticulous with the details,” Moore said, to ensure they are effective and comfortable. Each mask is individually packaged and were delivered to Ochsner Hospital in Kenner on Saturday.

In the midst of her mask endeavor, Moore received a call from Newhauser asking if she could help him create a ventilator part for COVID-19 patients in New Orleans. Seeing the dire need for more ventilators should the number of COVID-19 cases continue to increase, Moore said yes without hesitation.

Moore and Newhauser, who is also a professor in LSU’s Department of Physics & Astronomy, are working directly with local respiratory specialists, medical physicists, and engineers to fabricate ventilator parts and a variety of personal protective equipment for healthcare personnel in Louisiana.

“We’re doing a lot of telecommunicating with doctors,” Moore said. “We’re currently doing 3D prints with base stock because the hospitals have gotten to the point where they are desperate and we’re trying to push things through. Certain companies have done copper printing but it’s extremely slow and expensive. Our 3D-printer material is PLA (polylactic acid) but we could possibly move up to another type of material.”

An LSU resident emergency room physician picked up prototype ventilator pieces from the LSU team on Saturday for inspection and evaluation.  LSU Physics student Maxwell Cole and LSU Renewable Natural Resources alumna Cathlin Disotell are assisting Newhauser and Moore; all are working in Newhauser’s garage while practicing social distancing.

“We’ve contacted multiple filter companies to ask questions like, ‘Where can we get this filter right now?,’” Moore said, “and realize, ‘Oh, it’s made in China.’ One thing I read is that one single country cannot produce a ventilator on its own. All of the different parts come from different countries. That was eye-opening. We’re seeing a stopgap like never before. You don’t have time to do full-on testing and hit it with everything a lab could do.”

While the team is working on prototyping ventilator parts, it is also prototyping field-expedient face shields with help from LSU Chemical Engineering Research Specialist Nick Lombardo.

“I was using a laser cutter to make an acrylic template for people to make their own face shield using cardboard that would go on their head and a clear plastic document protector to staple onto it to protect against initial droplet exposure,” Moore said.

A local surgeon, Dr. John Faust of Baton Rouge Orthopedic Clinic and Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital, is assisting the team in prototyping protective gowns, which are in short supply.  The LSU COVID-19 response team is exploring production and other business logistics, including collaboration with local industry and possible public private partnerships.

“Our goal for today is to figure out how to make gowns of reasonable quality from materials and tools that are readily available,” Newhauser said. “Soon, we will hand off to other teams to scale up training of workers and production of the gown.”

Additionally, the team is coordinating with LSU personnel on the COVID response to explore scaling of the instruction and materials to create a community effort.

Though the team has not yet been asked to create a ventilator splitter, which would allow more than one patient to use a ventilator at the same time, Moore has unsurprisingly started creating one because, “it seems like that’s the direction things are going to go,” she said.

Though being under quarantine may cause many people boredom and stress, Moore seizes every free moment of it to make a difference.

“I really don’t get exhausted from doing this kind of stuff,” she said. “It can wear a lot of people down. I like helping people and this is unlike any other scale of being able to help, other than [Hurricane] Katrina, which was the most horrible thing I can think of. I’m happy to show up and throw whatever I have at it. We have a lot of brilliant people on our project and we’re really fortunate to have the opportunity to help others.”

“In the war on COVID-19, our modern-day equivalent of Rosie the Riveter is ‘Meagan the Maker,’” Newhauser said. “She exemplifies the spirit and engagement of LSU’s students.”

Newhauser also noted the outstanding support and leadership of the LSU administration in deploying its arsenal of academic resources to help healthcare workers.

Posted March 30, 2020

Source:  LSU College of Engineering

Software Helps Furniture Manufacturers Sell Directly To Consumers Online

DETROIT, Michigan — March 23, 2020 — Amber Engine LLC announces the successful virtual onboarding of its first client for its Product Information Management (PIM) solution, designed to help furniture manufacturers sell directly to consumers online. In light of decreased retail foot traffic, due to social distancing, the company is pleased to offer manufacturers an alternative channel for sales.

Ecommerce sales of home furnishings represent the fastest growth among channels. As such, home furnishings manufacturers who have historically relied on a large retailer base are preparing to sell directly to consumers online for the first time. Amber Engine’s PIM supports the manufacturer’s move to direct to consumer sales by streamlining the process of distributing products to various sales channels and online marketplaces.

In a statement accompanying the launch, the Amber Engine leadership team said, “Amber Engine has always sought innovative ways to support the growth of the home furnishings industry, and that’s all the more true in this time of global health and economic crisis. Our PIM solution was designed, specifically, to help the industry bridge the gap to online sales, a change that has now become imperative in light of recent events.”

Traditional PIM solutions are expensive, complex to implement and require a great deal of customization to fit the needs of home furnishings manufacturers. So Amber Engine built an easy-to-use platform that centralizes all product data in a master catalog and exports directly to templates for online marketplaces and ecommerce. White glove customer service offers technical expertise and support.

In addition to empowering manufacturers to sell directly to consumers online, the new PIM also facilitates the easy communication of product catalog data between manufacturers and retailers. This, coupled with the company’s existing retailer solutions, creates an empowered ecosystem for both manufacturers and retailers.

Posted March 30, 2020

Source:  Amber Engine LLC

Coronavirus Update: FDA Takes Further Steps To Help Mitigate Supply Interruptions Of Food And Medical Products

SILVER SPRING, Md. — March 28, 2020 — During this COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is working around the clock to make sure that Americans have access to safe food and medical products. The agency is continuously examining the global supply chain to identify any concerns and assess the availability of the products Americans need most. We are also partnering with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on supply chain issues, including importation of needed medical products to support the U.S. response. Here is a status update and details on some of the latest actions we have taken:

Medical Devices

As a doctor, the situation with personal protective equipment (PPE) is very concerning. We are taking every possible action we can, but we know the situation is dire for many health care facilities. We want to share that the FDA, along with the private sector, FEMA and all of the U.S. Government, are working around the clock to address this issue as quickly as possible.

We are aware of shortages of respirators and have issued Emergency Use Authorizations (EUA) covering certain respirators to enable them to be used in health care settings. Via the EUA and the shortages mailbox, the team has directed stakeholders to CDC’s strategies for optimizing respirator supply and recommendations on the use of expired respirators.

Most recently, the FDA issued an EUA to help increase the supply of filtering facepiece respirators by authorizing the use of certain imported disposable respirators that are not National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-approved for use by health care professionals. We are continuing to work on strategies to increase the availability of these devices.

We are also working on mitigation strategies for other types of personal protective equipment including surgical masks, gowns, and gloves. We have issued information to health care providers and have provided recommended conservation strategies for these important PPE.

We are working with textile manufacturers, including clothing designers, about how we can repurpose their manufacturing product lines to put them to use to make masks. These masks can be used for surgical or other isolation procedures, as the benefits of using them outweigh the risks under current circumstances.

We are providing maximum regulatory flexibility where we can.

We are also open to importing PPE and other devices and have provided instructions to manufacturers to help us implement this necessity appropriately. The agency is taking steps to facilitate importation of PPE into the U.S. and we are ready and available to engage with importers to minimize disruptions during the importing process. This means that when products come in from overseas, their authorization via our EUA authority allows them to quickly enter the country. These products aren’t hindered from entry and we’ve already determined, among other criteria, that the known and potential benefits of these products being used in health care settings outweigh the known and potential risks.

The FDA has reached out to more than 1,000 device manufacturing sites worldwide, focusing on essential devices.  The outreach thus far has focused on two main types of essential devices: those that are in high demand due to the pandemic outbreak, such as PPE and ventilators, and devices that may be prone to potential shortage if there is a supply disruption.

We further recognize the need for ventilators, ventilator accessories, and other respiratory devices may outpace the supply available to health care facilities. We have issued an immediately in effect guidance outlining a policy intended to help increase availability of ventilators and their accessories as well as other respiratory devices. In addition to the guidance, the FDA has issued an EUA that authorizes the emergency use of ventilators, anesthesia gas machines modified for use as ventilators, and positive pressure breathing devices modified for use as ventilators (collectively referred to as “ventilators”), ventilator tubing connectors, and ventilator accessories, that FDA determines meet the specified criteria for safety, performance and labeling. We anticipate this action will increase the number of patients who can have access to ventilators or similar machines for respiratory distress, which is important for critically ill COVID-19 patients

As with prior emergencies, the FDA has taken proactive steps to establish and remain in contact with medical device manufacturers and others in the supply chain, including hospitals and group purchasing organizations. The agency also encourages manufacturers and healthcare facilities to report any supply disruptions to the device shortages mailbox, deviceshortages@fda.hhs.gov. This mailbox is closely monitored and has proven to be a valuable surveillance resource to augment FDA efforts to detect and mitigate potential supply chain disruption.

Human Drugs & Biologics and Animal Drugs

We continue to work closely with manufacturers to make sure that they continue to notify the FDA, as early as possible, of a permanent discontinuance or any interruption in manufacturing that is likely to lead to a disruption in supply. This communication and the full cooperation of companies providing specific and necessary information is imperative in order for us to have an accurate understanding of the supply landscape and work to take proactive steps to mitigate shortages. To help human drug manufacturers submit timely and informative notifications, the agency is publishing a guidance for immediate implementation about the importance of these notifications, the timelines for manufacturers to follow when notifying the FDA, and the details for them to provide about the discontinuance or interruption of manufacturing. We recognize that while some supply disruptions and shortages cannot be predicted or prevented, early communication and detailed notifications from manufacturers to the agency play a significant role in decreasing their incidence, impact, and duration.

Our efforts with federal partners and pharmacy groups continue to establish mitigation strategies and prevent long-term supply shortages. At this time, where there is an acute demand for certain products and disruption in the supply chain, we are taking proactive steps to make sure that patients can access the medications that are medically appropriate and necessary. Some retail pharmacies have begun implementing policies designed to limit the overprescribing and overdispensing of certain medications in order to preserve the supply nationally. We are also aware that a number of states have taken action to limit the dispensing of certain drugs, including chloroquine and hydroxychlorquine.

Our public drug shortages lists are up-to-date with human and animal drugs and biological products that we have determined to be in shortage. These shortages are not all results of COVID-19, with many existing prior to the pandemic as results of market changes and supply challenges. We are updating these lists regularly and communicating in real-time so that patients and healthcare providers have the most current information on product shortages in the U.S.

The agency has decided it does not intend to object to registered outsourcing facilities using hydroxychloroquine. Despite this action, it is important to note that there are currently no FDA-approved therapeutics or drugs to treat, cure or prevent COVID-19; however, there are FDA-approved treatments that may help ease the symptoms of COVID-19.

Lastly, we appreciate industry’s willingness to help supply hand sanitizer to the market to meet the increasing demand for alcohol-based hand sanitizers during the COVID-19 pandemic.  As part of our commitment to providing timely guidance to support continuity and response efforts during this pandemic, the agency has published guidances to provide flexibility to help meet the demand for hand sanitizer.

Blood Supply

Blood supplies have been dramatically reduced due to the implementation of social distancing and the cancellation of blood drives.  Maintaining adequate levels of our nation’s blood supply is critical.  People who donate blood are equivalent to those who work in critical infrastructure industries.  We continue to encourage individuals who are healthy and able to donate blood.  Donating is safe and takes only a little of your time.  At many blood donations centers, those who are interested in donating can make an appointment to minimize the time it takes to donate blood.  Contact information for local blood collection sites and for scheduling appointments can be found on FDA’s website.

Human and Animal Food

Overall, retail supply chains remain strong, and we are working with food manufacturers and grocery stores to closely monitor the human and animal food supply chain for any shortages. The agency is in close contact with industry and its trade associations, which are in touch with their members about supply chain issues.

Food production and manufacturing – for both people and animals – are dispersed throughout the U.S., and we are pleased to report there are currently no widespread disruptions reported in the supply chain. Empty grocery shelves are largely due to unprecedented demand – not a lack of capacity to produce, process and deliver.  Manufacturers and retailers are working around the clock to replenish shelves.

The same is true for animal food. The FDA is monitoring the availability of foods for livestock and pets. There are no shortages, and no current disruptions in the pet and livestock food supply chain.

I am grateful to workers in the food and agriculture sector filling critical and essential roles within communities. Their ability to continue to work during periods of community restrictions, social distancing, and closure orders, among others, is crucial to community continuity and community resilience. This was reinforced by DHS in its Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce: Ensuring Community and National Resilience in COVID-19.

Veterinary Medicine

Our Center for Veterinary Medicine is working with veterinary stakeholder groups to alert veterinary professionals to adopt PPE conservation strategies to make the most of their current supply of items, such as masks and gloves. We’re also encouraging the postponement of non-urgent/routine veterinary medical procedures during this pandemic. In addition, we have been coordinating with veterinary medical supply manufacturers and distributors to explore how certain veterinary medical supplies, such as sterile swabs, and devices, such as ventilators, could be redirected to address critical shortages in human health care.

Posted March 30, 2020

Source:  U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Chargeurs And Noble Biomaterials Announce New Strategic Collaboration To Make Antimicrobial-Protected, High-Quality PPE For Healthcare Industry

NEW YORK CITY/SCRANTON, Pa. — March 30, 2020 — Chargeurs*PCC Fashion Technologies and Noble Biomaterials today announced that they have launched a strategic collaboration to produce urgently needed personal protective equipment (PPE) for the healthcare industry. Amid worldwide shortages of medical-grade equipment such as face masks and gowns, the two companies are working together to enable Chargeurs to manufacture PPE using Noble Biomaterials’ silver-based technologies.

“We use only the best materials for the couture customers that we service out of our Paris manufacturing facility,” said Angela Chan, managing director and president, worldwide, of Chargeurs*PCC Fashion Technologies. “As we quickly pivot from fashion to healthcare in order to help alleviate the shortage around the globe, we also want to ensure we’re making products using the best materials available. Noble Biomaterials has long supplied critical antimicrobial components to the healthcare and military sectors, and we’re pleased to work with the company to make high-quality products for those on the frontline of the healthcare fight.”

Chargeurs*PCC Fashion Technologies is well known as a  global provider of interlinings — the technical components that give garments their shape and structure. In France, parent company Chargeurs Group has already begun producing hydro-alcoholic solutions for healthcare professionals and mission-critical sectors as well as producing and importing protective masks in industrial quantities. The company has set a target of producing more than 1 million face masks a week within coming days. Chargeurs’ textile innovation laboratories in France, Asia and the US will also be developing new prototypes of masks that can be mass produced to meet current health and safety requirements and to keep pace with changing needs over the long term.

“Multiple studies have shown that soft surfaces in the healthcare and community environments are contaminated and that cross-contamination from soft surfaces occurs frequently,” said Jeff Keane, CEO of Noble Biomaterials. “Our technology has been clinically proven to reduce microbes and protect the surface of textiles, and with Chargeurs we’ll be able to help provide more critical PPE to healthcare employees around the globe. This is right in our wheelhouse — we’ve already begun prototyping these products, and we couldn’t be prouder to help in this worldwide fight.”

Noble Biomaterials has decades of experience supplying advanced materials to the healthcare market. The company’s X-STATIC® Technology is already used in infection-prevention textiles to reduce the growth of microbes and protect soft surfaces such as privacy curtains, bedding, scrubs and lab coats. Noble Biomaterials is a registered FDA medical device facility, an essential sole-source technology supplier of medical components to the US Military and a US EPA–registered antimicrobial manufacturer. Leading companies such as 3M, Systagenix and KCI rely on the products manufactured by Noble Biomaterials for the medical market.

X-STATIC® is made by bonding high-purity silver to the surface of a polymer, making it permanent for the life of the product. It is also OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certified.

Posted March 30, 2020

Source:  Chargeurs*PCC Fashion Technologies

SHIMA SEIKI Releases Knitting Data For Another Version Of Knitted Mask For SHIMA SEIKI’s SVR093SP, SVR123SP And SVR183SP Computerized Knitting Machines

WAKAYAMA, Japan — March 30, 2020 — In light of the continuing worldwide shortage of surgical masks due to the increased spread of the COVID­-19 coronavirus infection, leading flat knitting solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD., Japan, has released knitting data for another version of knitted mask to be produced on its computerized knitting machines. This is in addition to mask data released on two previous occasions on the 19th and 25th March.

Data released this time consists of a cotton mask to be produced on Shima Seiki’s SVR093SP, SVR123SP and SVR183SP computerized knitting machines equipped with a dedicated loop presser bed mounted above the rear needle bed that permits full use of inlay technique, as well as the spring­-type moveable sinker system for additional flexibility in knitting a wider range of patterns and designs, in 14 gauge. Users of these machines can download the mask data from the Shima Seiki Users’ Site, an archive featuring over 10,000 knit samples for use by Shima Seiki customers.

The mask is knitted by dimensional shaping and provides improved fit and comfort. While previous mask data for knit­ ting on conventional shaping machines required elastic bands to be inserted afterward for ear straps, the new masks are knit with elastic bands pre-attached through inlay technique and only require tying afterward, for even more efficient production. As before, a filter­pouch is knitted ­in for inserting commercially available virus filters and other filtration fabrics.

Knitted cotton masks can be washed and reused repeatedly. It should be noted however that unlike common non­woven surgical masks, knit masks do not have virus and pollen filtration functionality. Their main use is for prevention of spray from coughing and sneezing, and for reducing exposure to allergens.

Mask Data Details:

Release date: Wednesday, March 30, 2020

Download location: SHIMA SEIKI Users’ Site www.shimaseiki.com/user/samplesearch/

Sample no.: I2252S00F (Ladies’) I2252S10F (Men’s)

Machines supported: SVR093SP, SVR123SP, SVR183SP

Gauge supported: 14G

Posted March 30, 2020

Source:  Shima Seiki

Jones Family Of Companies Partners With NanoTouch

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — March 27, 2020 — Jones Family of Companies is excited to announce a partnership with NanoTouch Materials. NanoTouch Materials provides a continuous self-cleaning surface which means there is now a new definition to “clean.” NanoTouch provides less worry and a healthier environment through its creation of skins and mats that are self- cleaning. “Powered by normal indoor light, NanoSeptic Surfaces utilizes mineral nano-crystals which create a powerful oxidation reaction, breaking down any organic contaminants,” stated Dennis Hackemeyer, a partner at NanoTouch Materials. “More importantly, NanoSeptic works 24/7 and it’s visible, impacting customer experience — a unique value-add amongst clean technologies available today. Unlike traditional disinfectants, the NanoSeptic Surface uses no hazardous chemicals, poisons or toxins, and nothing is released from the surface since the nano-crystals are molecularly bonded to thematerial.”

Jones is leveraging its logistics system and deep industry relationships to join NanoTouch in an effort to provide highly innovative performance products for the floor care industry. Their combined efforts will lead to greater developments and opportunities to provide for the continuing market needs. “It is imperative that we continue to expand Jones Family of Companies and partner with other like-minded companies,” said Senior Vice President Andrew Dailey. “With this partnership, Jones is driving innovation in the market by bringing new products and brands like NanoSeptic to our customer in an effort to support their growth and market needs,” added CEO CP Davis.

Posted March 30, 2020

Source:  Jones Family of Companies

TRSA Draws 500+ For Facilitated Virtual Market Sector Information-Sharing; Launches Market Business Recovery Task Forces

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — March 30, 2020 — As the effects of the COVID-19 virus empties restaurants and hotels, healthcare and other Critical Infrastructure operations such as food and agriculture, energy, water and wastewater, transportation and logistics, manufacturing, public works and essential functions struggle to maintain or meet demands. TRSA, the association for linen, uniform and facility services identified a need for these varied market sectors to share information on best practices and swiftly launched a series of market-specific teleconferences pertaining to COVID-19 response and operations.

Recordings of these four events, hosted during the week of March 23, are now available under the “COVID-19” header in TRSA’s On Demand Library at  www.trsa.org/ondemand. All four market-sector teleconferences emphasized the importance of ongoing, transparent and regular communications with employees and customers to reduce anxieties and with business partners such as suppliers, banks, unions, government officials and other critical partners.

Jim Buik, TRSA chair and president, Roscoe Co., emphasized the importance of these meetings and industry information sharing from an operator’s viewpoint. “These calls are very important because they offer a range of perspectives and operational best practices,” Buik said. Highlights of the four teleconferences, in the order they were held, appear below:

Hospitality Sector

Outsourced laundries servicing hotels exchanged ideas for managing though the crisis that has halted most operations. They also discussed plans to ramp operations back up in the coming months. Despite dire near-term predictions, participants remained hopeful to begin serving customers again soon. While much of the discussion centered on seeking financial relief and staying connected with their laid-off or furloughed employees, they did identify several potential post-COVID-19 crisis opportunities such as increased interest in out-sourcing laundry and switching from customer-owned goods (COG) to linen rental to help offset the costs of reopening shuttered hotels. Several participants also discussed servicing properties that have been converted to temporary hospitals. TRSA thanks the more than 120 linen, uniform and facility services operators and suppliers that participated in the teleconference and especially the industry leaders Harry Kertenian, CEO, Magic Laundry Service and Chair of TRSA’s Hospitality Committee; Steve Miller, vice president, Victor Kramer Co.; and Keith Pooler, vice president, Sacramento Laundry Co., who facilitated the discussions, presented a variety of perspectives and answered questions.

F&B/Linen Supply

For the nearly 130 food-and-beverage (F&B) laundry operators and suppliers who participated in TRSA’s market-specific teleconference, the F&B market sector has felt the most profound impact from the COVID crisis with most restaurants either closing or limiting their services to curb-side pickup. Participants shared stories, strategies and tactics for managing through the crisis, including improved inventory management and accounts receivable (AR). The majority have laid off all or most of their employees and are uncertain when, or if, they can restart operations or what the new, post-pandemic F&B market will look like. Participants also discussed tactics for ensuring the health and safety of their employees, customers and communities whether working or at home. Those plants that are still operating have implemented measures to reduce health risks for production and route service representatives (RSRs), including increased personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, rotating breaks/lunches and limiting contact with customers to maximize social distancing. They’ve also increased efforts to disinfect hard surfaces and vehicles. The teleconference was led by Ken Koepper, director, TRSA Membership and Industry Outreach; and included panelists Phoebe Ellis, owner, Lace House Linen Supply; Jesse Jassny, director of sales and service, service linen supply , MediCleanse Linen Service; and Mark Lewis, corporate sales manager, Dempsey Uniform & Linen Supply.

Healthcare Sector

Nearly 200 operator and supplier laundry executives participated in the healthcare market sector discussion facilitated by TRSA Director Randy Bartsch, owner, Ecotex Healthcare Service Linen Corp. The healthcare market has a different set of challenges as compared to the other markets as they prepare for the peak of the pandemic in the coming days/weeks. Surprisingly, many of the laundries servicing both acute healthcare — hospitals and long-term care facilities — and non-acute, such as outpatient surgery centers and medical facilities, are operating below normal volumes due to early-discharge policies and cancellations of elective surgeries. In addition, the healthcare sector has been most impacted by supply chain shortages as hospitals attempt to shift to reusable isolation gowns, surgical scrubs and PPE following the depletion of their disposable products.

Before the crisis, healthcare facilities had switched 90 percent of their isolation and surgical gowns to disposable products, despite evidence of additional cost and waste. The new demand for reusables, while more sustainable, has created shortages and an inventory backlog of months. It also underscored the importance of the Hygienically Clean certification, as other laundries, including on-premise and non-healthcare operators attempted to reduce risks to their employees and customers by changing standard operating procedures (SOPs) already followed by certified laundries such as OSHA’s Universal Precautions and increased disinfecting and cleaning protocols. To further mitigate the potential for transmission of the COVID-19 virus, healthcare laundries emphasized the importance of PPE, handwashing and social distancing in the plant and at home, as well as increased education for those handling soiled linens.

The teleconference closed with a detailed question-and-answer session facilitated by Bartsch with panelists Murray Cohen, PhD, MPH, CIH, FAIHA, retired CDC (Center for Disease Control) and WHO (World Health Organization) Epidemiologist and chairman, Frontline Healthcare Worker Safety Foundation, and David Goldsmith, Epidemiologist, George Washington University.

Industrial/Workwear Sector

Jim Buik also offered an owner’s perspective (industrial launderer, the Roscoe Co.) during this teleconference. He spoke in-depth about dealing with the impact of COVID-19. “Our first step was to educate ourselves and our team, relying on credible sources such as the CDC (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as OSHA (U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration),” Buik said. He commended the industry’s efforts to help the industry manage during this crisis. “The information TRSA provided at www.trsa.org/covid19 was timely and invaluable. We printed and posted CDC flyers on handwashing and shared information about best practices to ensure we followed them closely. Buik also discussed the impact of Roscoe’s decision to earn Hygienically Clean certifications several years ago which put Roscoe in a better position to serve its customers.

While a slightly smaller group with nearly 100 participants, the teleconference addressed the importance of operations as “essential services” for Critical Infrastructure customers, especially manufacturing of medical supplies and food services, as well as transportation and public services. Discussions focused primarily on employee and customer health and safety, as this sector does not typically handle and process potentially virus-contaminated products.

Participants from the industrial/workwear sector also shared best practices on social distancing in the plant, boosting employee morale and reducing anxiety during these difficult and stressful times. In addition to Chairman Buik, TRSA thanks moderator Israel Cartagena, chair TRSA Industrial/Uniform Committee and Maintenance/Fleet/Utility Team Leader, Roscoe Co.; and panelists Jeff Delazzer, service team leader, Roscoe Co.; and Michael Shulevitz, president, Cadillac Uniform & Linen Supply Inc.

Members expressed appreciation of TRSA’s facilitation of the opportunity that brought the industry together for the greater good.  “I attended all webinars and thought they were well done and informative,” said Greg Brown, of Mickey’s Linen. Tom Yohn of Gurtler Industries agreed. “Very informative. Contributions between competitors that enlighten one another with the sole purpose of EVERYONE in their market segment surviving and working through this together is unbelievable. I’m proud to be associated with TRSA.”

For more information and guidance related to COVID-19, visit TRSA’s COVID-19 Resource Center at http://www.trsa.org/covid19 and register for TRSA’s April 2 COVID-19 Update:  State/Federal Relief Update, Market-Sector Reports and Business Pulse Reports.

These four teleconferences set the stage for TRSA’s organization of Market Sector Business Recovery Task Forces for all market sectors, groups that will strategically examine the potential, long-term impact of the pandemic on each sector and opportunities for the linen, uniform and facility services industry in the new, post-COVID business environment. We need your help! Please contact Ken Koepper at kkoepper@trsa.org for details and to participate in TRSA’s Market Sector Business Recovery Task Forces.

Posted March 30, 2020

Source: TRSA

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