Like most manufacturers across the country, Illinois manufacturers are answering the call of duty to help front-line COVID-19 warriors. Many are doing this by either pivoting their operations to produce critical supplies, increasing existing production, or finding other creative ways to contribute to the health and safety of our communities and environment.
One Bensenville manufacturer, PureLine Treatment Systems, who specializes in designing, manufacturing, and implementing Chlorine Dioxide (an environmentally friendly decontaminant) treatments, is no stranger to answering the call for help. Their customers reside in industries to include municipal water treatment, healthcare, food & beverage, and oil & gas. The technology was used to decontaminate the Hart Senate Offices in Washington, DC when the anthrax attacks occurred in 2001 and PureLine’s treatment keeps the water in New York’s 9/11 Memorial and Museum crystal clear. Now they are helping to keep COVID-19 frontline workers safe.
Using their 20-plus years of decontamination experience, PureLine adapted an eight-year-old product called PureVista to develop a solution to fight the coronavirus – the Dopke Decon System. First responders, healthcare workers, military, food service workers and the hospitality industry can use this small, portable system to decontaminate up to 75 N95 Masks within 90 minutes!
Understanding the critical need for decontamination of essential medical equipment and realizing their capacity to meet some of the demand at no charge, PureLine’s team members started looking for ways to help the rest of the state. Unfortunately, the team struggled to get in touch with the proper organizations that could benefit from their ability to treat and decontaminate the coronavirus in a timely manner – needing to spread the word about their fast-acting solution.
It wasn’t until PureLine came across IMEC’s COVID-19 Resources that they were able to quickly get the guidance needed to make appropriate contact with Illinois government organizations. Specifically, the Supply Chain Preparedness Support Service was just the resource they were looking for. This service vets and validates supplier capabilities to meet the critical needs identified by Governor Pritzker’s Essential Equipment Taskforce, which was created to increase the State’s production of medical equipment and other critical products needed by frontline workers. After completing the online form and indicating PureLine’s ability to meet some of the needs identified by the Governor’s Task Force, PureLine was promptly contacted and vetted by IMEC.
“We found it remarkably difficult to reach the right people and offer an inexpensive, sometimes free, solution to decontaminating PPE. Decision makers are flooded with calls and it’s obvious that there are opportunistic sellers that muddy the waters with product that has not been verified. Not receiving calls back when offering something that works really well, is really inexpensive, and has zero lead time issues, was frustrating. IMEC has been extremely resourceful.” -Tim Lathrop, EVP PureLine
Once on the taskforce’s radar, PureLine was able to partner with more organizations across the state as an extra hand in fighting this battle. Currently, PureLine is working with contacts at Cook County Hospital and the Veteran’s Affair Hospital to provide decontamination services. Pureline is ready and eager to help Illinois COVID-19 frontline workers as best as they can. Some of the great things they’ve done so far to help since this pandemic include:
Now, the state of Illinois has one more COVID manufacturing hero.
If you are a manufacturer who can supply any of the more than 20 critical supplies identified by the Governor's Task Force, please let us know so we can connect you with those in need!