Itasca's Ion Exhibits shifts focus to manufacturing personal protective equipment

Ion Exhibits in Itasca is restructuring its manufacturing capabilities from focusing on trade show exhibits to personal protective equipment. By doing so, the company plans to save jobs, and more importantly, lives.

The cancellation of trade shows across the country began in March, resulting in over 130 projects being put on hold. This has severely impacted the ability for Ion Exhibits to carry out normal business operations, but the company is using the hiatus from trade shows as an opportunity to help local communities.

"After speaking with one of our vendors and consulting with another exhibit house, we realized we could leverage Ion Exhibit's engineering, manufacturing and graphic production capabilities to become a PPE manufacturer," said Roxane Fett, general manager and chief operating officer.

The first of two products being manufactured by Ion Exhibits is an adjustable face shield, which consists of a stationary headgear piece and replaceable shield. The headgear is made using PVC or HDPE antimicrobial material, while the shields are produced using either PETG or polycarbonate.

Coupled together, the headgear and shield act as a comfortable, stable solution for first responders and essential workers. While anyone is welcome to purchase the face shield, Ion Exhibits wants to ensure that this equipment is widely available for those who need it most. The face shields are currently being produced at a rate of 1,100 units per day, but Ion Exhibits has the ability to scale up to 3,000 per day if needed.

In addition to the face shields, Ion Exhibits is also manufacturing a 3-ply face mask that is ideal for running errands, such as a trip to the grocery store. These masks are hand-sewn, washable, and act as a reusable solution for the general public.

These masks are made up of two outer layers that are 100% cotton, and an interior layer made from breathable polypropylene. The 3-ply face masks are being produced at a rate of 400-500 units per day.

Ion Exhibits is making the face shields and 3-ply masks available for sale by calling (630) 285-9500 and dialing 2 for sales. Pricing information is as follows:

Face Shield Pricing & Information:

• $12/unit for the PVC Face Shield set (1 PVC Headgear and 1 Shield); $10/unit quantity discount for 50 or more.

• $14/unit for the HDPE Face Shield set (1 HDPE Headgear and 1 Shield); $12/unit quantity discount for 50 or more.

• $4/unit for a Replacement Shield/ $3/unit quantity discount for 50 or more.

• Credit Card accepted; orders Wire Transfer preferred for orders over $5,000.

3-Ply Face Mask Pricing & Information:

• $7/unit for the 3-ply face mask

• Credit Card accepted; orders Wire Transfer preferred for orders over $5,000.

During these tumultuous times, Ion Exhibits was also forced to revamp its staff by furloughing a number of employees. However, retooling the business to produce the new PPE has made it possible for the company to hire back three of those furloughed employees. Ideally, the company would like to add to that number in the coming weeks.