Two provincial ministers were in Pembroke today (Tuesday, July 28th) to tour SRB Technologies. Through the COVID-19 pandemic the local company was able to retool a portion of operations to produce reusable medical grade face shields.
Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Job Creation, Vic Fedeli, says at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic the Premier put out a call to Ontario manufactures to see if they could make personal protective equipment. Fedeli says it’s exciting to see the Ontario spirit in companies like SRB Technologies stepped up to help when needed.
Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke MPP and Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, John Yakabuski, says it’s nice to have a local partner involved in the Ontario Together program.
Back in June, SRB Technologies was awarded almost $60,000 ($59,889) to convert a portion of their production from emergency lighting solutions for the nuclear, aerospace, construction and defense sector to manufacturing medical grade face shields which have been supplied to area hospitals and long-term care facilities. Minister Fedeli adds Yakabuski fought hard to get the funding through the Ontario Together program.
SRB Technologies President, Stephane Levesque, says they saw a need in the community to produce reusable face shields. Levesque says so far they’ve sold almost 5,000 face shields with 115 different clients who reach out on a daily basis.
He adds it wasn’t too hard to retool their operations since they already do injection moulding on site. Levesque says the more difficult part of the process was becoming a medical license holder through Health Canada to be able to supply the face shields. The faces shields are available for anyone to buy.
PREVIOUS STORIES:
Ontario government helps Pembroke business ramp up production of PPE