BANGOR, MI — Barber Packaging, a custom packaging company, is shifting to also produce personal protection equipment.
The Bangor company switched from its usual business to help fill a need for local healthcare providers, by producing plastic masks. Barber Packaging matched with a purchaser through the Pure Michigan Business Connect program of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to get the products to where they are needed, according to a news release from the economic development organization Market Van Buren.
“Pure Michigan Business Connect’s virtual matchmaking program builds on PMBC’s success in providing supply chain sourcing solutions by supporting critical COVID-19 response efforts, as well as creating opportunities for small and medium-sized Michigan businesses,” Senior Program Specialist at Pure Michigan Business Connect Nick Anderson said. “We were pleased to work with our partners at Market Van Buren to provide a connection for Barber Packaging, and we thank the company for stepping up to retool and support recovery efforts in this time of need.”
In response to COVID-19, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s Pure Michigan Business Connect program expanded its free online procurement platform in March to include donations from suppliers capable of filling health and human service needs across a broad range of product and service categories. The platform provides direct access to businesses within the state providing supplies including personal protection equipment, food, medical devices, paper products, cleaning equipment and more, according to the news release.
“When this pandemic reached our nation, we felt called to stand in the gap. We immediately began looking at several medical industry needs and realized we could retool to make face shields,” said Luke Barber, President of Barber Packaging and Vice Chairman of the Market Van Buren Board. “Now we are producing a needed product. I’d like to think we are doing our part to serve our neighbors.”
Barber Packaging plans to make more than one million face shields over the next month. The project began in mid April.
“As soon as the pandemic reached our shores, Luke and his team wanted to be a part of the solution,” Executive Director of Market Van Buren Zach Morris said. “Barber’s strong leadership paired with the ingenuity of the Pure Michigan Business Connect program is resulting in healthcare workers getting the tools they need.”
Other Van Buren County based businesses are retooling to provide necessary resources for the community. One example of that is St Julian Winery, Michigan’s largest winery, retooled their distillery to produce hand sanitizer. In addition, Do-It Corporation in South Haven has retooled to provide face shields.
Morris said Market Van Buren has been helping local businesses fill out applications for MEDC grants and loan, among several other resources. In addition, he said they are working on plans to help companies once the emergency orders are over.
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