PHOTOS: A Scottsdale Printer Steps Up to Build Face Shields for Local Medical Workers

Companies big and small are doing what they can to help during the COVID-19 pandemic that’s putting so many health professionals and emergency personnel in danger. 

Artisan Colour, a Scottsdale-based digital commercial printer, is manufacturing and donating face shields to medical workers and emergency personnel to help protect them from contracting the virus themselves. 

The company donated the first 200 manufactured face shields to the Scottsdale Fire and Police Departments on April 6, according to a press release.

Artisan Colour CEO and President Doug Bondon said in the release that he and his team were spurred to action when they saw protective gear for emergency personnel was critically low.    

We were listening to the headline news at the office. When we heard reports about the rising COVID-19 infection rates and the shortage of protective gear for healthcare workers, you could feel the sadness in the room,” Bondon said. “Our Director of Digital Printing, Alan Ludington suggested we do something to help and the energy instantly changed – the entire team got behind it.”       

The face shields are made of a clear, PVC-type of material, and Artisan Colour plans to produce between 1,200 to 1,400 of them on-site in Scottsdale.

“Our team is operating on split shifts to maintain a safe distance – 50 percent of employees work one week and the other half works the next,” Bondon added. “Each team member has contributed to this project and can be proud that they’re doing their part in combatting the spread of this virus.”   

The company says it has reached out to local healthcare organizations and essential businesses, including Banner Health, the Phoenix Children’s Hospital and a local food processing company, and have all expressed interest in receiving the face shields.          

If we all do our part, we can overcome this situation as a community,” Bondon said.