SAYING THEY WILL STOP
RECEIVING THEIR SALARIES, TOO.
COMPANIES ACROSS THE
CAROLINAS ARE DOING
EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO HELP
HEALTH-CARE WORKERS.
ANCHOR ALISON LOTTIS LEARNED
HOW ONE COMPANY IS
GETTING CREATIVE TO MAKE SURE
DOCTORS AND NURSES ARE
PROTECTED.
Reporter: TODAY, I SPOKE
WITH THE OWNER OF
THERMAL CONTROL PRODUCTS OUT OF
CONCORD.
THEY WORK WITH INDUSTRIAL
TEXTILES, AND NOW THEY'RE
WORKING FULL STEAM AHEAD WITH
GENERAL MOTORS TO MAKE
PARTS FOR VENTILATORS.
BUT THAT'S NOT ALL.
YOU CAN THEY HAVE SOME PRETTY
ADVANCED EQUIPMENT.
THEY'RE ALSO USING IT TO HELP
MAKE PROTECTIVE GEAR
OUR HOSPITAL WORKERS SO
DESPERATELY NEED.
YOU FOUND A SORT OF
RESOURCESFUL WAY TO GET THAT
MATERIAL THAT WE MAY BE USED TO
SEEING IN
CONSTRUCTION SITES.
SO TELL ME ABOUT THAT.
OKAY.
SO SOME OF THE GOWNS ARE MADE
OUT OF A MATERIAL
CALLED TYVEK.
IT'S A PPE MATERIAL.
YOU CANNOT ACQUIRE ANY OF THIS
MATERIAL RIGHT NOW.
IT'S EXTREMELY TOUGH TO GET
AHOLD OF.
KIMBERLY CARP MAKES IT.
DuPONT MAKES SOME OF THESE
MATERIALS.
IT'S BEING ALLOCATED TO THE
VERY HIGH-END, VERY
LARGE-PRODUCING MEDICAL
SUPPLIERS AND WHAT NOT.
SO MY CONTACTS OVER AT GRUMBOT
MEDICAL SYSTEMS SAID,
"HEY, WHY DON'T YOU GO TO
LOWE'S AND BUY SOME OF THE
TYVEK SHOOTING USED TO WRAP
HOUSES.
WE BOUGHT SOME ROLLS OF TYVEK
FROM LOWE'S, AND WE'RE
ACTUALLY PRODUCING THE
GARMENTS.
NOT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MAKING
MONEY.
THIS IS ABOUT BUCKLING DOWN AND
TRYING TO HELP.
NORTH CAROLINA NOW HAS
ORDERED MORE THAN
60 MILLION IN PROTECTIVE GEAR
AND EQUIPMENT TO FIGHT
THE CORONAVIRUS, BUT SO MUCH OF
IT IS ON BACK ORDER.
AND SENATOR JEFF JACKSON SAID
THAT'S WHY HE'S USING
SOCIAL MEDIA TO REACH LOCAL
MANUFACTURERS TO HELP
THEM NAVIGATE THROUGH THE RED
TAPE TO WORK WITH THE
STATE.
NOW, THE PRESIDENT HAS
CALLED ON GM TO START
MAKING THINGS, BUT THAT IS ON
THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
HOW DOES THAT IMPACT NORTH
CAROLINA ACTUALLY BEING
ABLE TO GET HANDS ON THIS KIND
OF STUFF?
WE HAVE NO IDEA, AND WE HOPE
THOSE SUPER BIG
MANUFACTURERS WOULD BE ABLE TO
PRODUCE SO MUCH THAT
NORTH CAROLINA COULD BENEFIT.
BUT WHY WAIT, AND WHY HOPE WHEN
WE HAVE
MANUFACTURING CAPACITY HERE IN
THE STATE.
WELL, IN JUST A FEW DAYS,
JACKSON SAID THEY
DISCOVERED 40 NEW LEADS ON
COMPANIES THAT COULD SOON
