Chattanooga Company Develops Disposable Face Shield For Medical Professionals
In response to a community need, Southern Champion Tray has developed a disposable face shield and are donating them to local medical facilities. A prototype was recently pre-tested and approved by leading Chattanooga physicians for protection against transferring moisture droplets via the nose or mouth to and from other people.
A larger quantity of face shields is now being produced to donate to local medical providers and first responders for further testing. To keep pace with the urgent need for face shields, SCT will continue to manufacture this design and is prepared to make suggested improvements from medical personnel for future production runs.
Similarly, SCT plans on donating face shields to the Mansfield, Texas community in support of their service for Southern Champion’s manufacturing plant in Texas. Face shields will also be donated to Chattanooga food service providers and other businesses continuing to service the public to further safety measures.
The SCT face shield is based on a design provided for free by Fiber Shield. Fiber Shield is an international organization formed at the onset of the COVID-19 virus pandemic in response to the vast need for personal protection equipment by the medical community around the world. Southern Champion Tray is a committed member and supporter of this organization.
According to Fibershield.org, “Fiber Shield is an international coalition of leading Paperboard Packaging companies and supply-chain partners who have pooled their collective resources and production capabilities to supply single-use face shields to medical professionals and first responders.
“Paperboard Packaging companies throughout the world are uniting to eliminate the shortage of COVID-19 protective face shields. Our goal is to protect the medical community that we depend upon to protect us.”
Each member of the group has committed to donating at least 100,000 face shields to either medical providers or first responders. To date, 750,000 face shields have been donated by coalition members. SCT can produce up to 500,000 face shields per day and will begin donating those face shields this week to Chattanooga medical providers and first responders.
SCT will accept requests from other medical providers and first responders by email to faceshield@sctray.com
SCT Structural Designer, David Chapman, obtained the drawings and a sample of a face shield shared by another Fiber Shield member. David reviewed that design and made some proprietary changes based on CDC guidelines and SCT’s unique manufacturing processes. His design uses raw materials that SCT has in supply and quickly obtainable through its supplier networks.
Beginning on April 15th, SCT will also be selling the devices through its packaging distributor network and on Amazon for other businesses in need of personal protection equipment. Anyone needing these devices can contact their local packaging distributor or purchase from Amazon.
Since 1927, Southern Champion Tray has been manufacturing and distributing quality, sustainable bakery, food service and catering paperboard and corrugated packaging, food and drink carriers and molded fiber tableware. Markets served include bakery, foodservice, frozen foods, supermarket, institutional, medical, pharmaceutical, personal care, cosmetic, retail, electronics, and more. Southern Champion Tray has offices and manufacturing in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Mansfield, Texas.