Dec 17, Print this page. This is the date our new manufacturing plant came online and began making the specialized foam swabs needed for COVID testing. We began work on a new manufacturing plant immediately, with two teams working virtually around the clock.
We leased , square feet of space in an old smoke detector factory in Pittsfield, ME, rebuilding much of it with our construction partner Cianbro. We work with a local naval shipbuilder, Bath Ironworks, to machine the highly specialized equipment needed to produce our swabs. While a project of this type normally takes months, with the help of our partners, we were able to begin swab production in just 8 weeks.
And 5 months later, the plant was completed. Prior to opening Pittsfield, we were making 20 million foam swabs per month. The goal set forth by the Defense Production Act government contact was to increase capacity by another 20 to 40 million swabs per month.
Our new plant has also led to the creation of over new jobs in the rural community of Pittsfield, ME. Our company headquarters and original manufacturing plant is located about 30 miles north of Pittsfield in Guilford, ME. This has allowed us to produce swabs faster and more efficiently as well as improve our product flow to create an even better environment for our workers. Similar to many U. Once the pandemic is behind us, demand for testing supplies is predicted to be strong for years to come.
We look forward to whatever challenges lie ahead. Special thanks to all our customers who have been on this journey with us. And if you are interested in working and living in rural Maine, we just may have a great job for you.
