DALTON, OHIO — The coronavirus pandemic has impacted every facet of our lives and businesses, and for many companies, caused them to get creative and pivot to help our healthcare workers.
P. Graham Dunn is located in Dalton, Ohio — close to Canton.
For decades, they’ve supplied and manufactured gifts and home decor.
“We service customers as big as Home Goods and Hobby Lobby and as small as your local Hallmark shop,” said Anthony Burdette, vice president of marketing and product development.
Typically, about 220 people work in the plant, but when they were forced to shut down during the coronavirus pandemic, the company decided to pivot, now making face shields for healthcare workers who need them.
“Obviously we want to keep as many people employed as we possibly can and we wanted to be able to help,” Burdette said. “This is a great opportunity. Our country is in dire straits to work together and do something good.”
The plastic face shields are assembled, then shrink wrapped before they’re shipped off to Yale Medical Center in Connecticut, before ultimately being distributed to hospitals and healthcare workers nationwide.
“So that way when it gets to somebody they can open it up like it’s brand new,” Burdette added.
P. Graham Dunnstarted production on the face shields last Friday, producing about 7,000 in a day.
On Saturday, they more than doubled to 20,000.
Burdette said they are coordinating with and have partnering with other suppliers and vendors in the area, hoping to get more than 350,000 face shields shipped out by the end of this week.
