For two Shawnee companies making ventilation masks and other protective products has been their business model for years. But now these businesses are boosting production as demand for respiratory and protective gear skyrockets in the face of coronavirus. Hans Rudolph Inc. designs and manufactures a range of masks and other respiratory products, including ventilator masks that help coronavirus patients in critical condition. As a manufacturer of medical devices for the respiratory industry, Hans Rudolph offers technical products for respiratory research and testing in addition to ventilation masks. The company’s products are geared towards hospitalized patients, rather than personal protection equipment (like the N95 mask). Nick Rudolph, sales and marketing manager at his family company, said their products are in demand as COVID-19 response ramps up. “Currently, because of everything that’s been going on on a global scale, our ventilation masks are being utilized with ventilators out in the field to treat patients that unfortunately have come down with the coronavirus,” Rudolph said. “From an employee standpoint, it’s all hands on deck.” Exact numbers weren’t ready available — and it may be too early to tell the full impact on business — but Rudolph said the company has already had “a significant bump” in product orders within the past month. Hans Rudolph increased staffing to provide quick turnaround of orders, mostly pulling from the employees’ networks of family and friends who may be job insecure due to widespread layoffs. “What’s interesting, at least to me: Because we do sell different products in different markets, all respiratory-based, we’ve seen an uptick in almost all of the markets,” Rudolph said, citing the need for masks in addition to clinical testing of new products. See Full Article
