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Garland apparel manufacturer makes quick shift to PPE production for health care workers

Cut Form LLC is making 17,000 protective shields for UT-Southwestern system

GARLAND, Texas — A small family owned manufacturer is making the quick transition from apparel production to much needed personal protective equipment for doctors and nurses battling COVID-19.

Ryan Joaquim owns Cut Form LLC, which specializes in precision cutting of fabrics and patterns. On Saturday, the business was filled with nearly two dozen employees working to fill an order of 15,000 protective face shields.

"The fact that we’re helping protect the people who are taking care of the most sick right now, that’s just really awesome," Joaquim said,

Two weeks ago Joaquim admits being involved in making personal protective equipment was not on his radar.

"If someone told me this is going to be my job, I would probably start researching what PPE is,” Joaquim said.

He did that, quickly. Not long after he produced a mask, placed it on social media and soon heard from the UT Southwestern Medical Center.

"It took us 24 hours to get an order of 2,000 (face shields), that's how crazy things are at this point," Joaquim said. 

The face shields went to Clements University Hospital.

"It provided a great opportunity to partner with a local small business in challenging economic times to provide for a fast turn of inventory," a spokesperson said.

It’s a scene being repeated across the state and the country as manufacturers, including automakers like GM and Ford quickly try to convert to produce masks and ventilators for the billions of pieces of PPE needed to combat the pandemic.

RELATED: Coronavirus live updates: Trump signs $2.2 trillion stimulus bill, issues Defense Production Act for GM ventilators

Cut Form LLC says it is already working on the next PPE project, which will include surgical gowns for another North Texas medical system.

"Now we're an essential business," Joaquim said.

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