Piper Aircraft will be manufacturing protective gear to help support the growing needs of the Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital, and the OEM will also be donating over 1300 3M, N95 approved masks to the hospital.

The manufacturing engineering team at Piper Aircraft has been following the growing demand and resulting shortage of PPE (personal protective equipment) and has been looking for ways to support the need. Earlier this week, the team designed a prototype face shield with off-the shelf materials such as: plastic, industrial tape, foam and elastic. With approval of the prototype, the team set out to source the necessary materials from wholesale suppliers and create a manufacturing line within the Piper factory.

With a designated production area in place, the team will begin making face shields this week for use by medical personnel. Given the current supply of materials and labour, Piper has the ability to produce thousands of face shields daily to help support the current demand.

“This is a critical time for our community, our country and the world. It is a time for action, cooperation and collaboration. As a team, we can make a difference for people in need and directly support those fighting the battle on the front lines of this unprecedented crisis. This is just one small way that we are trying to help," says James Funk, Piper's COO. “We want healthcare providers especially and patients to be safe, therefore it's vital that we all pull together to help our community weather this crisis and come out the other side stronger than ever."