The Canadian Shield Launches Made In Canada Surgical Mask Line

canadian shield surgical masks

The Canadian Shield will be producing one million surgical masks per week, in addition to cloth masks, reusable face shields and isolation gowns

WATERLOO, ON | JULY 17, 2020 — The Canadian Shield, a Waterloo Region-based Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) manufacturer, is proud to announce that it is expanding its production line to include disposable surgical masks. These masks are in addition to the reusable face shields and cloth masks already being offered by The Canadian Shield. This continued investment in PPE manufacturing will be critical to bolstering Canada’s domestic supply chains while ensuring the protection of Canadians through COVID-19 and any future global health crisis.

“We are proud to announce the launch of our Made in Canada surgical mask lines,” said The Canadian Shield Founder and CEO Jeremy Hedges. “We’ve acquired the tools and resources to ensure our nation is able to meet its present and future PPE requirements. Our company will not only protect Canada, but grow to be a world leader in medical equipment design and manufacturing.

"The team at The Canadian Shield has produced products that are nothing short of inspirational in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic," said Iain Klugman, president and CEO of Communitech. "Their Made In Canada surgical mask line is an excellent next step that will help not only Ontario, but the entire world, as it recovers and reopens."

Surgical masks create a physical barrier between the mouth and nose of the wearer and potential environmental contaminants. Regulated by Health Canada, these masks, if worn properly, are meant to help block particle droplets, splashes, sprays or splatter that may contain viruses or bacteria. They can help reduce exposure of saliva and respiratory secretions, which is critical to reducing the transmission of COVID-19. Further studies have proven mask mandates lead to a slowdown in daily COVID-19 growth rate, helping to reduce virus transmission in both pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic forms.

As numerous municipalities across the country have taken steps to mandate mask-wearing through bylaws and regulations in recent weeks, the release of The Canadian Shield’s surgical masks to the general public comes at an opportune and critical time.

The Canadian Shield has built two automation lines for surgical mask production that will be running 24/7 to ensure the company meets its production quota of one million surgical masks per week. In the next two months, The Canadian Shield’s annual capacity will grow to more than 200 million surgical masks annually.

Today The Canadian Shield will be releasing non-rated disposable surgical masks for consumer pre-order, available online through their website at www.canadianshieldppe.ca. Over the next few weeks pending further testing, the company will also be releasing ASTM Level 1, 2 and 3 disposable surgical masks for consumer sale.

With surgical masks being composed of three layers, The Canadian Shield takes pride in using Made in Canada filtration materials for its surgical mask production.

The Canadian Shield has also recently launched a line of cloth masks, while continuing to grow its capacity to manufacture reusable face shields. The company now produces more than 200,000 face shields per day having just launched in March 2020.

“We’ve invested heavily in PPE manufacturing to ensure that we as a nation can withstand any future health threats while reducing our dependence on global supply chains,” said Hedges. “We’re doing this to keep Canadians safe, to create good-paying manufacturing jobs and to be part of what we see as the beginning of a Made in Canada revolution.”

The Canadian Shield has helped reignite the Waterloo Region’s manufacturing sector, putting hundreds of people who lost their jobs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic back to work. Since receiving their Medical Device Establishment license from Health Canada in March, The Canadian Shield has produced over 10 million shields face shields for frontline and essential workers across the country while growing its team to more than 300 people.

In the next few weeks, the company will also begin manufacturing isolation gowns, with an anticipated capacity of six million gowns per year.

ABOUT THE CANADIAN SHIELD

The Canadian Shield is a Waterloo Region based advanced manufacturing company that specializes in the production and distribution of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers. The company was founded in the midst of the COVID-19 global health pandemic by educational technology company InkSmith to address the shortage of protective gear for front-line staff in hospitals and medical facilities. Specializing in reusable protective face masks, The Canadian Shield’s patent-pending technology can significantly reduce healthcare costs while saving lives.


For media inquiries, please contact:

Madison Lambden
519-994-1912 
media@inksmith.ca

Website: www.canadianshieldppe.ca

Twitter: @canshieldppe

LinkedIn: The Canadian Shield

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