Owens & Minor Prepares for Flu Season with Increased Made-in-Americas Mask and N95 Respirator Capacity

For the past 20 years, global healthcare manufacturer’s HALYARD-branded product line of masks and N95 respirators has ranked at the top of the facial protection market

RICHMOND, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As the United States prepares to enter flu season under the persistent COVID-19 pandemic, Owens & Minor (NYSE: OMI), the nation’s leading producer of medical-grade facial protection products, continues to increase production and invest in its capacity to provide frontline workers with procedure masks and N95 respirators.

“At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Owens & Minor acted with urgency and investment to deliver an increased supply of facial protection products, including procedure masks and N95 respirators,” said Edward A. Pesicka, President and CEO of Owens & Minor. “We are laser-focused on providing the highest quality products that are specifically designed for medical staff and essential workers. Frontline workers need protection now, and we are working tirelessly to meet that need.”

Since February, Owens & Minor has acted across four key categories and is poised to help support the nation’s critical facial protection needs:

• Surgical N95 Respirators: Over 1000% increase in N95 production at three Americas locations, including additional manufacturing assets in Del Rio, Texas and Lexington, N.C.
• Surgical and Procedure Masks: Nearly 100% increase in surgical and procedure mask production through new capital investment and improving efficiency of operations in Acuña, Mexico
• Face Shields: Over 600% increase in face shields through new capital investment in Acuña, Mexico
• Raw Materials: Additional, dedicated meltblown fabric manufacturing line in Lexington, N.C. to ensure end-to-end control of Owens & Minor supply chain, providing self-sufficiency from base material to finished mask—unlike other suppliers who rely on supply from Asia

The significant improvements across Owens & Minor’s facial protection categories were made possible by capital investments, improved rates of operation and increased production capacity to 24/7 shifts.

“Unlike many other manufacturers of facial protection products, Owens & Minor has more than a century of healthcare experience and is proud of our Americas-based manufacturing of medical-grade N95s dating to 1997,” said Pesicka. “We stand ready to provide protection for healthcare workers on the frontlines battling flu and COVID-19. Our Surgical N95 Respirators are made to protect frontline workers from airborne illnesses, which is why the form, fit and comfort of our respirators are of paramount importance.”

Owens & Minor’s HALYARD* FLUIDSHIELD* Surgical N95 Respirators are:

• 100% Medical Grade: While the FDA has granted temporary emergency use authorization for some industrial grade N95s, HALYARD* FLUIDSHIELD* Surgical N95 Respirators are designed and manufactured in accordance with our own FDA cleared 510(k).
• Made in the Americas, from Base Material to Finished Respirator: Unlike suppliers who rely on sources from Asia, all HALYARD* FLUIDSHIELD* Surgical N95s are manufactured in the Americas.
• Highest Level of Protection: All HALYARD* FLUIDSHIELD* Respirators deliver Level 3 splash and spray protection—the highest recognized level of protection.
• Specially Designed for Medical Staff and Essential Workers: The duckbill breathing chamber is more than twice as large as the leading surgical N95 respirator and exceeds NIOSH standards for breathability. Because proper snug fit is critical, HALYARD-brand N95s come in a range of sizes, with malleable nose wire to adjust fit. They have strong elastic straps that are securely bonded—not stapled—to the mask.
• Reliably Supplied Every Day: With manufacturing investment and end-to-end control of its entire supply chain, Owens & Minor has been able to ramp up N95 production to consistently exceed customer historical usage levels even during the pandemic.

Owens & Minor proactively engages with AAMI, NIOSH and ASTM guideline panels to keep abreast of evolving standards and ensure the best protection provided by its products. The company holds over 30 patents in facial protection innovation.

About Owens & Minor
Owens & Minor, Inc. (NYSE: OMI) is a global healthcare solutions company with integrated technologies, products, and services aligned to deliver significant and sustained value for healthcare providers and manufacturers across the continuum of care. With over 15,000 dedicated teammates serving healthcare industry customers in 70 countries, Owens & Minor helps to reduce total costs across the supply chain by optimizing episode and point-of-care performance, freeing up capital and clinical resources, and managing contracts to optimize financial performance. A FORTUNE 500 company, Owens & Minor was founded in 1882 in Richmond, Virginia, where it remains headquartered today. The Company has distribution, production, customer service and sales facilities located across the Asia Pacific region, Europe, Latin America, and North America. For more information about Owens & Minor, visit owens-minor.com, follow @Owens_Minor on Twitter, and connect on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/owens-&-minor.