Answering the Call

Viking Yacht Co. said it is manufacturing medical face shields to address a shortfall of personal protective equipment for workers on the front lines of the pandemic.

Viking executive vice president Drew Davala, executive co-chairman Bob Healey Jr. and director of special projects Robert Sherriff developed the plan to produce more than 1,000 shields to help address the needs of the medical community.

“We have tremendous resources and technology here at Viking, and incredible people who are eager to support the cause,” Davala said in a statement.

The shields and the head frame that holds them in place — known as a halo — are being manufactured using 3-D printing.

“We came up with a halo that’s practical and can be manufactured efficiently and quickly,” said Winston Zeberlein, Viking additive manufacturing engineer.

Ease of manufacturing was a goal, as the builder plans on making the design available to anyone with 3-D printing capabilities. “This was always an idea that was intended to be shared, and not just in New Jersey but all around the country and the world,” said new product development manager Bill Hall.

Once Viking meets its goal of producing 1,000-plus shields for the medical community, it will make shields for workers at its New Gretna and Mullica River, N.J., facilities, which recently reopened after voluntarily closing.

“We realize the tremendous sacrifices being made by doctors, nurses and the entire medical field as they battle the coronavirus on the front lines,” Davala said. “We’re simply doing our part to help these heroes in any way we can.