Hanover County packaging manufacturer making isolation gown material

INDEVCO North America is pivoting to make fabric for protective gowns for medical workers

Published April 30, 2020 by Sydney Lake

Hanover County-based packaging manufacturer INDEVCO North America announced Thursday that it’s shifting its manufacturing materials to make materials for protective isolation gowns, worn by first responders and medical workers.

The company typically produces house wrapping material under its Barricade Building Products brand, but due to COVID-19, there’s been a decrease in U.S. housing starts — but a surge in demand for personal protective equipment (PPE). 

Possessing the raw materials and equipment, INDEVCO North America’s Specialty Coating & Laminating (SC&L) plant in Doswell, Virginia, has begun to produce and supply fabric for the gowns. Industrial fabric rollstocks are sold to Virginia companies that produce disposable medical PPE to be cut and sewn into gowns. 

One of INDEVCO’s customers, a Virginia-based manufacturer (that INDEVCO asked not to be named in the story) sells the finished isolation gowns to be used by first responders and health care workers within Virginia. SC&L’s manufacturing processes can produce volumes of gown rollstock that can be converted into millions of gowns per week, according to Geoff Baldwin, president of INDEVCO North America Paper Division.

The fabric that is manufactured is water repellent and breathable. 

“When health care professionals wear these materials, they’ll find them lightweight and breathable,” Baldwin said in a statement. “Most importantly, they meet ANSI PB70 standards, which means they’re reliable in protecting against fluids and cross-contamination.”

The challenge to obtain PPE has been a struggle since the pandemic began, as materials were primarily sourced from overseas manufacturers. 

“As local manufacturers, we have a social responsibility to pivot production to help keep our communities safe and healthy,” Pierre Khattar, CEO of INDEVCO North America, said in a statement. “We’re taking assets geared toward construction and producing isolation gown fabric that will protect givers and receivers of care in clinics, hospitals and nursing homes.”

Subscribe to Virginia Business.

Get our daily e-newsletter.