Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties

Stormy Kromer filling medical mask, gown shortages

By TOM LAVENTURE

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Ironwood - As a non-essential business during the coronavirus pandemic, Stormy Kromer found its niche making medical masks and gowns at a wartime production pace to help protect health workers from the COVID-19 virus.

"The only way we will get through this crisis is together," said Gina Jacquart Thorsen, president of Stormy Kromer, a division of Jacquart Fabric Products.

Area hospitals are contacting Stormy Kromer to see if the company can produce thousands of masks in short order, she said. The hospitals have exhausted supplies and without anything available they are turning to additional sources as staff are making masks at home.

"Hospitals do not have adequate supplies for their staff who are dealing with the COVID-19 crisis," Thorsen said. "We got some calls last week from hospitals that could not find N95 (medical mask) anywhere and were trying to look for alternative solutions."

A small team of Stormy Kromer sewing engineers, pattern makers production managers and the purchasing manager met at noon on Sunday to discuss the capacity to meet a critical need, she said. They took samples apart and constructed a pattern by 5 p.m., using their own fabric and additional material from an Ashland business.

A representative drove to hand deliver the sample to a UW Health System employee who met them halfway in Stevens Point. The prototype was approved for its ability to protect an individual from a sneeze or cough from another person. 

The Stormy Kromer team did some water tests and although it was not scientific they were confident that the lightweight and water resistant design would provide some protection. The masks are also reusable and can stand up to industrial washing.

The masks do not resemble the caps and apparel of the iconic brand, she said. The masks do have the same design quality and fabric durability of the Stormy Kromer line, she said. 

"Normally the patterning, prototyping and engineering process takes months and we did it in an afternoon just because we knew how important this was," Thorson said. "We spent Monday and Tuesday rearranging the sewing machines and setting up the line so that when we actually got the order we could call the people back and be ready to go."

A small group of sewers were trained to make the masks and production started on Wednesday. The workers completed 1,000 masks the first day that went to Memorial Medical Center in Ashland, and to the UW Health System, she said.

The goal is to reach 2,000 masks per day within a short period. 

The masks have an exterior fabric with a plastic coating, along with a cotton lining inside to provide additional protection, Thorson said. The employees know their work is making a difference and they work with a smile, she said.

"Our employees who are able to come back are grateful and proud to be using their skills on something so vital right now," Thorson said. "There is a very positive feeling in our factory."

The work has started with a smaller crew but will likely grow with requests for more than 25,000 masks right now and more potential order in process. The demand is from hospitals, police and fire departments, nursing homes and other essential workers with challenges finding supply.

The gown design prototype was also completed and production is expected to start this week. The gowns will take longer to put together with a more complex design, she said.

Fabric engineers are working on booties and other products that were also requested.

To protect against COVID-19 at the factory the workers are spaced further apart on their machines and a frequent sanitization process is in place. 

 
 
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