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Vinyl Film is Material of Choice for PPE, Social Distancing Floor Graphics
In March, when the Pacific Northwest was ground zero for the COVID-19, hospitals were scrambling to secure vital personal protective equipment (PPE). At one point Legacy Health, with eight hospitals in the region, was down to a 2-day supply.
Then they got new face shields, thanks to dental equipment manufacturer A-dec.
The family-owned business put its engineers to work designing a face shield that protects healthcare workers against COVID-19. They went from concept to manufactured product in 2 weeks. As this video shows, the flexible inner layer of the face shield is made with vinyl film—manufactured by Achilles, USA.
Chad Turner, president of Achilles, said that A-dec came to his company seeking flexible vinyl film for the face masks. Fey Industries, an office products company based in the Midwest, has also been buying truckloads of vinyl film from Achilles. Like A-dec, they’ve converted some of their manufacturing capacity to make protective isolation gowns for healthcare workers. So has KAAS Tailored in Mukilteo, WA, which switched from making upholstered aerospace and furniture goods to manufacturing face masks, face shields, reusable gowns, and disposable gowns. They’re also using vinyl film produced by Achilles.
Achilles was well-positioned to supply vinyl film during the pandemic.
It’s no accident that Achilles has been selling vinyl film to nascent PPE manufacturers. The company has been supplying the medical products industry for over 25 years.
“It’s hard to break into medical supplies because the FDA regulates those products,” said Turner. “We put a priority in working with the medical industry. As a result, Achilles is the largest U.S. supplier of flexible vinyl to the medical community.”
Those checkout counter line graphics? Vinyl film.
Social distancing floor graphics.
Achilles isn’t just selling vinyl film for PPE. Vinyl film is also an excellent material for floor graphics—including the ones stores are putting in for wayfinding and to keep customers socially distanced as they wait in checkout lines.
“Vinyl film has be certified to have an anti-slip texture in order to be used in floor graphics,” said Turner. “Producing that texture and getting certified takes effort and expense.”
It’s a far-better and safer option than duct-taping lines on the floor. And another example of why vinyl is the material for life.