Hand Sanitizer - Limited Quantities Available for Donation or Sale.
In early March, AOTCO began producing hand sanitizer at our Billerica, MA facility. As part of our COVID-19 response plan, employees are required to wash their hands upon arriving to work and at various times throughout the day. To help employees comply with this policy, we wanted to put hand sanitizer at every workstation. However, when we tried to buy it, we found that all our suppliers had run out. Rather than go without, we decided to manufacture our own.
Due to supply chain shortages and delays, the majority of stores were completely sold out of all sanitizers and other cleaning products. When stores received their shipments, people would make bulk purchases and the shelves would be left bare.
Since AOTCO is a critical manufacturer in both the medical and defense industries, we needed to remain open. With no reliable supplier of sanitizer and a slew of essential workers in need of protection, we were at a difficult crossroads. Fortunately, AOTCO’s team of brilliant engineers and problem solvers were eager to tackle this challenge - and rather than go without sanitizer, we decided to manufacture our own.
Our manufacturing process was developed by AOTCO’s chemical engineers, following the World Health Organization (WHO) formula and FDA emergency production guidelines. We mix and fill in our laboratory environment, using sterilized water and containers. We test each batch to ensure that it is at the target 75% isopropyl alcohol content.
Initially, this project was intended for internal use only to ensure our essential staff members a safe and sanitary work environment. However, the word soon got out, and we started receiving requests from first responders who urgently needed hand sanitizer. After recognizing the dire need to help our community, AOTCO has produced and donated hand sanitizer to fire and police departments in our area, as well as other organizations on the front lines of the national COVID-19 response. This, in turn, has triggered even more requests for sanitizer.
Supporting our community, local businesses, and frontline workers is something AOTCO strives to do, global pandemic or not. Witnessing the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has already had on our community; we believe there is an excellent opportunity to help.
To expand our support to COVID-19 response organizations, AOTCO is now making limited quantities of hand sanitizer available for sale. We will announce details on how this will work soon. In the meantime, don’t hesitate to contact us if your company wishes to purchase hand sanitizer.
