HARTLAND — Medline Industries, one of the largest medical supplies providers in the country, is transforming their manufacturing facility in Hartland, Wisconsin to help meet the demand for hand sanitizer as hand-hygiene remains top-of-mind around the world because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The facility typically produces infection prevention products, such as a 2% chlorhexidine gluconate solution for pre-saturated cloths designed to reduce surgical site infections, as well as skin antiseptics, body washes, lotions, over the counter drug products, povidone iodine and lubrication gel for the institutional marketplace.
But, Division President Alan Weiss said as Coronavirus spread worldwide, the demand for hand sanitizer quadrupled at Medline Industries.
"Once it hit, the demand outstripped supply extremely quickly," said Weiss.
That's why they're transforming the 300,000-square-foot facility.
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"We already have the machines that can do the filling so were making sure that they're properly connected, that they're properly vented so that there's no risk [to employees]," said Weiss.
Teams will work five days per week, beginning in mid-April, to produce up to 150,000 bottles of hand sanitizer per week. Leaders say more staff could also be hired.
It's a transformation fast-tracking the process to get supplies to health care workers fighting the deadly coronavirus.