Gorham Manufacturer Lands Contract To Make 500,000 Face Shields

Click here for the latest coronavirus news, which the BDN has made free for the public. You can support our critical reporting on the coronavirus by purchasing a digital subscription or donating directly to the newsroom. The Gorham-based manufacturer Flowfold has landed a state contract to produce 500,000 medical face shields. The company shifted from wallets and bags to face shields earlier this spring after seeing indicators that the medical supply chain could be in trouble. [Our COVID-19 tracker contains the most recent information on Maine cases by county] “We haven’t made a wallet or a bag in months,” company Co-Founder Devin McNeill said. He said the company initially reached out to hospitals and medical facilities, which indicated that they needed face shields. The company later submitted a bid to the state and publicly received a contract earlier this week. McNeil said the company also plans to lower its minimum purchasing requirement from 50 units down to four in order to make them accessible to smaller businesses. This article appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.