“We can do this,” said Prefix Founder Kim Zeile. “During times like these, we must all ask ourselves, ‘how we can assist our community, help our neighbors, and make a positive difference for others?'”
The company purchased over 6,000 pounds of required materials and engineered a design for protective face shields. The shields are now being used by area first responders and heath care workers, and staff members at Prefix are working as fast as they can to meet the current demand. Currently, the staff is producing a few thousand face shields every day.
The process requires engineering, tooling, stamping, water-jet cutting and assembly, all capabilities found under one roof at Prefix.
“The first responders we initially spoke with asked for something durable enough to be used for a longer period of time,” explained Zeile. “So, we engineered a model that is heavier duty, and longer-lasting. Our team is proud of what we were able to design, in such a short time. Never in my 40 years of operating Prefix would I have believed that we would be involved in such an uncertain world. I am just happy to respond with something that helps our community, and helps our employees to realize what a difference we can make, regardless of the challenge.”
Prefix will continue to produce the shields as long as there is such a crucial demand, and they can obtain the required resources.