PRADCO Fishing's Travis Watson (left) and Gerald Winters were among the many employees who contributed to a company-wide effort to react quickly in response to the medical community's call for much needed supplies, using their Fort Smith in-house manufacturing capabilities to produce hand sanitizer and face shields.
April 01, 2020
By In-Fisherman Staff
PRADCO Outdoor Brands, a leading manufacturer and marketer of fishing and hunting equipment, is dedicating resources to serve the medical communities in Alabama, Arkansas and Oklahoma, home states of most PRADCO employees and their families, with donations of much-needed personal protective equipment for healthcare workers.
At PRADCO Fishing, engineers have designed and formulated products that are currently being manufactured to give away to area hospitals, clinics and nursing homes. Tooling and molds for all products were created in PRADCO Fishing's tool room.
The specific products being manufactured for donation are face shields, frames and hand sanitizer, items that are in high demand among workers in the medical community.
The frames are being molded out of XT plastic material. The face shields are being formed out of plastic sheets. The frames and shields were designed in a collaborative effort with personnel at Baptist Health in Fort Smith, Ark.
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The hand sanitizer is 75-percent isopropyl alcohol antiseptic and is being bottled on the YUM bait attractant line. It is being made according to the Food and Drug Administration's Temporary Policy for Preparation of Certain Alcohol Based Sanitizer Products During the Public Health Emergency (COVID-19).
"I'm so proud of our employees for quickly figuring out how to get these needed items into production," said Bruce Stanton, PRADCO Fishing's Vice President and General Manager. "There is a heart to serve here, and we've had so many folks give time and effort to this undertaking. There is something to be said for having the entire organization from top to bottom under one roof. We control most aspects of our manufacturing processes, so when it's time to go, we can go in a hurry. It definitely feels good to be able to do something good right now."
The YUM hand sanitizer is being delivered in 50-count boxes. The BOOYAH frames and face shields will be delivered with 20 frames and 40 shields in each box. PRADCO Hunting is also donating much-needed items. Vice President and General Manager Bart Stephens said his company is procuring 50,000 face masks, most of which will be given to hospitals, clinics and other places of need in the Birmingham, Ala., area.
Stanton said PRADCO Fishing will be able to make more hand sanitizer if it can get more materials.
"Right now, isopropyl is in high demand and short supply. If we can get more drums of it, we can make more hand sanitizer to give away. We are also in need of 4 oz. or 6 oz. pump spray bottles. If anyone wants to do some good and make donations of these items, they can email us at info@lurenet.com.
