AMD Medicom Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of personal protective equipment (PPE), has partnered with Vitacore Industries Inc. ("Vitacore"), a British Columbia-based company that manufactures surgical masks and respirators. This partnership will encompass the manufacturing and distribution of Vitacore respirators in new markets, including the U.S., as well as collaboration on a PPE recycling program developed by Vitacore.
"We are extremely proud of this new strategic partnership, which leverages the combined experience and expertise of our two companies, to allow for an end-to-end solution when it comes to PPE. Vitacore's strength in product development and R&D will complement our capabilities in manufacturing and commercial operations. The entire Medicom team looks forward to the collaboration with Vitacore so we can continue to bring innovative solutions to our customers and help reduce the carbon footprint of PPE through the unique recycling program," says Ronald Reuben, founder and CEO of Medicom.
Medicom and Vitacore have both received the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's (NIOSH) approval for their N95 respirator masks. In addition, Medicom and Vitacore were among the Canada-based manufacturers to receive Health Canada authorization and certification by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) for their respective N95 respirators.
This partnership will also provide some supply chain resilience and improved pandemic preparedness for the Canadian healthcare system and North America as a whole.
Both companies are committed to mitigating the impact of PPE on the environment and are collaborating to commercialize and expand the recycling program and technologies developed by Vitacore. In the last year, Vitacore implemented its recycling program in four Canadian hospitals, collecting the equivalent of more than nine million masks and respirators. The converted material has been used for concrete reinforcement and other construction products.
With an estimated 63,000 tons of personal protective equipment ending up in Canadian landfills by the end of this year, this program is aligned with Medicom's ambition to limit the environmental impact of its medical devices and manufacturing facilities.
