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All About Montana
JUNE / JULY 2020 • MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 7
Cargo Bikes to Face Shields
SMALL LOCAL BUSINESS SHIFTS GEARS FOR SURVIVAL
Today demand has increased, and supply
BY SUZANNE WArING is critical, because one COVID-19 patient
may require healthcare workers use as
Huge firms, like the automakers, have many as 30 sets of PPEs each day.
stepped up to meet critical needs during Coaster Cycles grabbed the opportu-
the Coronavirus pandemic by retooling nity to make these shields, because its
and hiring to provide ventilators and workers were already comfortable working
personal protective equipment (PPE), with foam and plastic materials. Within
but they aren’t the only ones. A small two weeks, the company brought back the
Missoula, Mont. manufacturing firm, workforce, retooled the plant, and settled on
Coaster Cycles, retooled in late March to a supply chain to buy and receive materials.
make disposable, transparent face shields They are now making 50,000 face shields
for healthcare workers. a day and shipping them out to a variety of
This adaptability in product production customers, one being the New York City
is providing protection, and possibly sur- Department of Health.
vival, for those who are caring for patients This is quite a shift from the focus of
with the virus while also reinforcing the their original business. Prior to the pan-
economic survival of a Montana business Beth Enloe, R.N., models a face shield produced demic, Coaster Cycles made pedicabs and
and the people who work there. by Coaster Cycles The Missoula, Mont., compa- cargo cycles.
When the pandemic brought orders ny adapted its product production to make face Ben Morris, CEO and owner of Coaster
for the products manufactured by Coaster shields, providing protection, and possibly survival, Cycles, first had the idea to create a business
Cycles to a standstill in March, the company to individuals caring for patients. Enloe works for using pedicabs in 2005 when he was in San
Benefis in Great Falls. Photo by Jonathan Rimmel.
began to lay off its workforce for the first Diego and saw them used to tour people
time in 15 years. Face shields are crucial, because they through the Gas Lamp Quarter. Pedicabs
About a week later, a design company provide a second layer of protection and can are human-powered taxis—three-wheeled
published a drawing of an open-source, be disinfected. Large hospitals used as many cycles with a seat and canopy between the
clear-plastic face shield for hospital workers. as 1500 disposable shields each day before CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
the pandemic hit this country.
There are so many wonderful moments
in life. To help make them possible, we
created the SCL Health Heart & Vascular
Institute at St. Vincent. Every detail of
this program was designed to bring
exceptional heart care to Montana.
Which is why we’re one of the top heart
and vascular care teams in the region.
Because healthy We’re doing more, so you can.
svh.org/heart
hearts do more.
ST. VINCENT HEALTHCARE
