DALLAS – The pandemic has opened up a new perspective for many Texans when it comes to finding a happy work-life balance. Since June 2020, thousands of Americans have changed the direction of their careers in search of more fulfilling opportunities.
What you need to know
- Baylab USA is preparing to begin production 24/7 to meet peak demand
- More than 10 million medical masks and respirators are produced in the warehouse every week
- The company says it has been able to source raw materials from other U.S. suppliers to keep costs down
In North Texas, employees are very proud of a mask production facility that opened last August. With the Delta variant keeping COVID-19 cases on the rise, masks are the new hot commodity in stores again. Baylab USA is preparing to start production 24/7 to meet peak demand.
“It’s very rewarding. It’s something I never thought I’d find in a working life, ”said Greg Bartell of Baylab USA.
Bartell’s job is to oversee the production line and make sure the employees are looked after. Each shift, he and dozens of others enter an ultra-clean warehouse to make medical masks for the community to use.
“It feels so much better to get up every day knowing you are going to a place where your products will be in demand by the front line medical and dental staff,” said Bartell.
Baylab USA’s Greg Bartell examines some of the masks. (Spectrum News 1 / Chris Grisby)
A little over a year ago, Bartell had worked in another role at a Dallas beverage factory. Now that a pandemic is to blame, he’s decided to take another chance.
“A lot of the basics are the same. You have people, you have materials, you have machines,” Bartell said. “We make products that actually protect people. Second, it’s actually a start-up mentality’s dream. The adrenaline that flows through this place is enormous. “
Many of the employees have given up other jobs to work for the emergency mega start-up. Bartell says with COVID variants constantly hampering the community, the need for masks is critical as new hires continue to be sought.
CEO Ashley Park left her stable corporate career at Amazon after seeing the unique business opportunity within our border.
“When the research hit, it was costume designers who made masks out of fabric because we didn’t have enough surgical masks to take care of our healthcare workers and I couldn’t take care of that.” said Park. “I didn’t know what was going on.”
An increase in international shipping costs, along with a rush of substandard masks being sold to the public, made it easy for Park to make the decision to work 24/7 in the US. She says that as the COVID variants continue to serve as an active threat, both the public and our medical workers on the front lines need to be looked after.
“It’s an important part of the business and I’d honestly say it’s been a roller coaster ride for all of us,” said Parker. “I would say about five weeks ago the light switch really went back on. It was the Delta. Somehow we saw it coming from Europe and India, and now we hear that the Lamda variant is coming too, so we have” forecast that we have to ramp up well into June 2022 so we can make sure we have stock and inventory for those who need it. ”
Baylab USA says they were able to source raw materials from other US suppliers to keep costs down. More than 10 million medical masks and respirators are produced in the warehouse every week.
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