Industry Insight
Manufacturing’s Finest Hour By: Dusty Alexander, CEO & President, Global Shop Solutions
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merica and its allies won World War II in large part because of our country’s massive manufacturing effort. The number of tanks, planes, trucks, ammunition and other essential war materials produced within a few years was unprecedented. These gave us an unbeatable advantage over our enemies on the land, in the sea and in the air. Currently, we’re in a different kind of war against the COVID-19 virus. And much like World War II, we entered this war woefully undersupplied, lacking the tools required to diagnose and treat it, while protecting those on the front lines. As someone who has spent my entire adult life in the manufacturing industry, it comes as no surprise that American manufacturers are once again stepping up to the plate. I couldn’t be prouder of the way many are responding to the urgent need to produce the tools and equipment needed to win this war.
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34 IMD MAY 2020
There’s a scene in the movie “Apollo 13” in which NASA officials are discussing the odds of getting the crippled space craft back home. The head of NASA comments that it could be the worst disaster in the history of the agency. Gene Krantz, NASA’s Chief Flight Director, responds by saying, “With all due respect sir, I believe this is going to be our finest hour.” I believe this is the finest hour for the manufacturers who have accepted the challenge of getting the needed supplies and equipment to the brave Americans on the front lines of the war on COVID-19. Here are a few of our customers stories.
Helping COVID Victims Breathe Based in Addison, Illinois, Pioneer Service makes a wide variety of custom components, many of which go into oxygen equipment, ventilators, respirators and hospital beds.
