Austin Plant Churns Out Face Masks For Texas Teachers

AUSTIN, TX — Austin-based Armbrust American has secured a $3.8 million with the state to supply protective face coverings to the state's 320,000-plus public school teachers amid the coronavirus, company officials said on Thursday.

The lack of domestic manufacturing has forced essential organizations such as public schools to rely on a global supply chain for PPE (personal protective equipment) at much higher costs during a time of unprecedented demand, company officials noted.

And with the vast majority of surgical masks being manufactured out of China, state governments have the added burden of determining if those masks meet adequate quality and safety standards, officials added. Combined with recent reports that non-medical masks from China are being repackaged and sent to essential workers, officials added, having trusted American-made PPE has never been more important.

Photo provided by Armbrust by Alex Smith used with permission.

"It's taken almost two months, but I'm happy to share that our masks have passed everything needed for ASTM Type-II certification with Bacterial and Particulate filtration at 99 percent," Armbrust American founder and CEO Lloyd Armbrust said in a prepared statement. "Our mission is to supply our fellow citizens with superior quality equipment, made right here in Texas. No one should have to worry if the mask they're wearing will keep them safe, especially the people doing the important work of educating our children."

Photo provided by Armbrust by Alex Smith used with permission.

Officials noted that Armbrust American's Austin factory is currently ramping to produce 1.2 million masks per day, with plans to scale production to billions annually if needed. The company represents an important first step in returning strategic manufacturing to the U.S., thus ensuring that American heroes on the front lines have proper defenses needed during this pandemic and beyond, officials added.

About Nelson ASTM Type-II Testing

Nelson Laboratories, LLC performed several procedures to evaluate how Armbrust's surgical face masks would stand up against fluid penetration, bacterial filtration, particle filtration, flammability, and sensitivity. All test method acceptance criteria were met, and testing was performed in compliance with the FDA's Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) regulations. Additional details on the testing results can be found here.

About Armbrust American

Armbrust American's mission is to bring strategic manufacturing back to the U.S. Founded in 2020 by Y-Combinator alumni Lloyd Armbrust, the company currently operates a factory out of Austin, Texas utilizing proprietary mix of materials and manufacturing innovation to provide the highest quality PPE at a competitive cost. Lloyd was previously the founder and CEO of OwnLocal, a company that automates production for 3,500 newspapers worldwide.Watch: Introduction Video: About Armbrust American (2-min)

For more information, visit: https://www.armbrustusa.com/.