CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, NY – Two local businesses are pivoting away from their standard production lines and instead focusing on making products that will help battle the COVID-19 crisis.
According to the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency, Jamestown Plastics (Brocton, NY) and Mazza Five & 20 Spirits (Westfield, NY) have both announced a shift in production in recent days.
At Jamestown Plastics, owner Jay Baker said after he heard the appeal for the production of additional personal protective equipment (PPE) due to the COVID-29 outbreak, 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’ TrueHero™ Extreme Coverage Face Shields is designed to provide maximum protection from airborne germs while also offering visual clarity. Additionally, the reinforced shield features a proprietary flanged edge that, unlike flat shields, maximizes protection from the periphery.
The design of the face shield is unique when compared to other types of face shields on the market.
Jamestown Community College 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.
Meanwhile, Mazza Five & 20 Spirits is shifting its production of spirits so it can be utilized to produce hand sanitizer. Using the ingredients, equipment, and processes they already have in place, Mazza Five & 20 is redirecting 100 percent of its efforts to distill hand sanitizer under the strict guidelines and cooperation of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The effort by Mazza not only helps fight COVID-19, but also retains 30 full-time employees in the process by making them essential workers.
Mario Mazza, Vice President and General Manager, predicts the winery, brewery, and distillery will be able to produce 3,000 gallons of hand sanitizer immediately, with 400 gallons or more produced weekly as long as it takes to come through the current COVID-19 crisis and sanitizer shortage.
Initial efforts are focused on donating sanitizer to departments of health, non-profits, local healthcare workers, and Five and 20’s internal use. Final product will initially be sent to North East Community Nurses, Community Resources for Independence, Benedictine Sisters of Erie, Josephite Sisters of Erie, Bay City Cremations, and Our Lady of Mercy. There will also be small bottles available at Five & 20/Mazza Chautauqua Cellars in Westfield for customers and those in the community in need, limited to one per customer.
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.”
“Jay Baker and his team at Jamestown Plastics are demonstrating why they are industry leaders in custom thermoforming and packing solutions,” Geise said. “The Mazza Team is another company that moved quickly to manufacture products needed for this emergency cause.”
For more information, visit https://fiveand20.com/distilled-with-love or call 716-793-9463.
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.r more information, visit www.ccida.com.
Leave a Reply