DULUTH, Minn. — Frost River, a company which makes bags by hand in Duluth, has switched their production over to making personal protective equipment for local hospitals, instead.
On Friday, they donated 3,400 face shields to St. Luke's hospital in Duluth.
Frost River owner Christian Benson says there will be more to come. Benson says their manufacturing operation will have 45,000 shields completed by next week, which will be split between Duluth's two hospitals, St. Luke's and Essentia Health.
Benson says the hospitals are helping pay for the supplies to make the equipment, but Frost River is using their industrial machines and employees to put everything together.
While the company has temporarily halted bag production to make the personal protective equipment, Benson says sales of stockpiled merchandise on their website will help him continue to pay his employees while they make the gear for the hospitals.
Benson collaborated with his wife, an anesthesiologist at St. Luke's, when deciding to switch production over to making protective equipment for healthcare workers.
"I'm saying, why are we making bags at this time when my wife is coming home absolutely panicked?" he previously told KARE 11.
The company is also working on a prototype for a hood for healthcare workers, made out of table drape donated by hospitals.
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