WATERLOO -- The assembly line continues to roll at The Canadian Shield as the Waterloo-based company announced that its one millionth face shield was built Thursday.
The millionth face shield was part of an order for 500,000 units that was placed by Ontario Health, and that will be distributed to various hospitals and healthcare facilities across the province.
The company was founded in March by InkSmith, an educational technology manufacturer that retooled its manufacturing capabilities to build medical equipment in the fight against COVID-19.
Within 30 days of launching, the company received an order of 10 million face shields from the Canadian Government.
The company says it will be making two-thirds of all medical face shields that have been acquired by the federal government from Canadian companies.
In a release, the company’s CEO and founder, Jeremy Hedges said, “The federal government’s investment in innovation has allowed us to reinvest in our own local economy in Waterloo Region. Having the ability to provide jobs for those who were laid off as a result of the pandemic, while revitalizing the manufacturing sector in Waterloo has been an incredible honour and we are so excited to see what the future holds.”
The Canadian Shield has hired 300 new employees in two months and is now operating out of a 50,000 square foot facility in Waterloo.
To distribute their face shields, the company says it was partnered with another Waterloo Region company, Challenger, to deliver the 10 million shields ordered by the Canadian Government.
