Mask-making Patriot Medical of Cape urges 'buy American'

Patriot Medical Devices CEO Rick Needham said Wednesday, the day of the inauguration of a new U.S. president, that with the advent of widespread COVID-19 vaccine distribution in the U.S. and with it, hopes for an end to the pandemic, people may start to forget to buy American-made personal protection equipment (PPE).

“My concern I have is we may fall into old habits of buying cheaply made (PPE) products from China,” Needham said.

Patriot Medical opened a PPE plant this past summer at 1823 Rust Ave. in Cape Girardeau where more than 60 people are employed in the making of three-ply disposable face masks.

The company, in a one-page marketing “Why Buy American” handout, drills down on Needham’s warning.

“It is cheaper to make products overseas because other countries often have little to no laws protecting the rights of their workers. These factories exploit child labor, pay unfair wages and can have extremely dangerous working conditions,” the PMD handout reads.

“We need a laser-eye focus on where we are buying masks and gloves from (and) I hope our country will vigilantly support American PPE manufacturing,” Needham said.

Needham said PMD’s decision to locate a plant in mid-America makes for “consistent and efficient delivery” throughout the U.S., while adding a centralized facility lowers the carbon footprint in distribution.

Needham said he believes if President Joe Biden follows through with a national mask mandate on federal property and in interstate transportation, the order will likely have “minimal impact” on PMD’s operations, noting post-pandemic, the company’s ongoing customers will be hospitals, government entities, the veterans’ administration, first-responders and businesses.

PMD does promote a 50-count package of disposable three-ply masks on its website, www.patriotmedicaldevices.com, for $29.99.

“Our products are made in the USA by American workers,” Needham said.

PMD’s sales to-date are “exceeding expectations,” said Needham, adding the company’s “target” is to begin producing higher quality N-95 face coverings in the second quarter of 2021.