LOCAL

Kitsbow, other WNC outdoor gear makers still hiring as they increase PPE production

Asheville Citizen Times

In thinking back to the start of the coronavirus pandemic in WNC, David Billstrom joked that he hadn't moved from the same chair in the Kitsbow Cycling Apparel factory in Old Fort in two months.

But he was only half joking.

The CEO of Kitsbow, which makes high-end tops, bottoms, jackets and other athletic wear for cyclists, pivoted to the production of personal protective equipment in mid-March, at the height of the local PPE shortage.

Since he had a full sewing facility and sewers who wouldn’t be able to continue working — cycling apparel wasn’t deemed an essential business — Billstrom saw a need and an opportunity and switched from making fancy cycling pants to life-saving face masks.

More than two months later, the company, along with other members of Outdoor Gear Builders of WNC, have weathered the coronavirus quarantine and continue make PPE, while slowly restarting their pre-pandemic businesses of making tents, packs and bicycle parts and apparel.

Employees at Kitsbow Cycling Apparel in Old Fort work on making face masks for medical workers and first responders. The company has switched from manufacturing bike apparel to PPE in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

Kitsbow, assisted by a grant from the Dogwood Trust, was operating two shifts, seven days a week, churning out some 60,000 face shields and around 30,000 reusable face masks for local medical workers and first responders, Billstrom said.

“Things have calmed down a little. We eliminated the Saturday, but still have two shifts a day,” he said. “Things are still intense.”

The need for PPE is still so hot, the company is now making about 10,000 masks a week and shipping them around the country. Kitsbow doubled its workforce during the pandemic, from 27 to 53, and is still hiring sewers, Billstrom said.

Kitsbow had only relocated its operation from California to Old Fort seven months ago, just before the coronavirus ramped up. He said staff shrink-wrapped all of its in-production cycling apparel and went full bore into PPE.

They worked with Industry Nine, which makes bike components and high-end bicycle wheels in its machine shop, Turnamics, off New Leicester Highway, as well as Oowee Products, a custom leather goods manufacturer in Boone, and Watershed Dry Bags in Asheville, to cut the clear plastic needed for the face shields.

Kitsbow recently launched a new line of face masks in partnership with Wake Forest Baptist Health, the trademarked Wake ProTech by iQ Healthtech Reusable Face Mask.

A nurse at Wake Forest Baptist Health wears the Wake Pro Tech reusable mask, which was designed with and manufactured by Old Fort-based Kitsbow Cycling Apparel.

“Our first priority with personal protective equipment is protecting frontline workers, and now we’ve kicked it up a notch by combining our expert apparel design and manufacturing with Wake Forest Baptist Health’s deep experience in community health, wellness, and infection prevention,” Billstrom said.

“Just like our cycling apparel, our face masks are designed to fit so well that you stop thinking about wearing it, almost as if it disappears.”

A connection made through social media

Danielle Lamphier, associate vice president for Wake Forest Baptist Health’s BestHealth for Business, said the six-hospital health care system with some 20,000 employees had a team “working on mask designs nonstop for a week or so, and we were to the point where we needed a manufacturing partner.”

She saw a Kitsbow Facebook post about pivoting to making face masks and was on the phone with Billstrom the next morning.

“The process was highly collaborative. Our entire team enjoyed working with theirs. It was clear from the beginning that our teams shared a common goal: to make a great product that would help meet a true need in our community and beyond,” Lamphier said.

Due to social distancing restrictions, the two teams would meet over Zoom and then a designer from Kitsbow would meet a Wake Forest team member at a parking lot in Hickory for a quick handoff of prototypes.

The masks were designed to be comfortable, protective, well-fitting and worn for a long periods of time by frontline workers such as grocery store clerks, restaurant workers, day care workers or those taking temperatures and conducting symptom surveys at local businesses.

They are also using a fabric that wicks sweat, is cooler and doesn’t get “stinky” for cyclists, runners and other athletes, Billstrom said.

Kitsbow Cycling Apparel in Old Fort has just joined with Wake Forest Baptist Health to design a reusable mask for health care workers called the Wake Pro Tech.

Lamphier said the masks are not yet certified for use where a medical grade mask would be required, but they are working on that idea, which is a much longer process.

Individual Wake Pro Tech masks are now on sale for $25. They are also being sold in bulk to the Asheville Buncombe Youth Soccer Association, delivery services and dentist offices, which are starting to reopen.

As Phase 2 of Gov. Cooper’s reopening goes into effect, allowing some nonessential business to start up again, Billstrom said the company is starting to produce cycling apparel and hiring more sewers, while keeping work stations socially distanced and daily checking employees for COVID symptoms. But the bulk of the action in Old Fort is still protective gear.

“We feel like we have a moral imperative to make PPE right now,” he said. “It’s going to be part of our product line indefinitely.”

Camping trailers and tent makers

Diamond Brand Gear, which makes tents for the military and Boy Scouts, as well as individual tents, backpacks and other gear, also lent a hand during the PPE shortage.

The company worked with the Carolina Textile District, a regional collaborative, to make about 4,300 level 2 (used for low risk, during blood drawing or in the Intensive Care Unit) and level 4 gowns, (used for high risk, for example, during surgery, when pathogen resistance is needed or infectious diseases are suspected). But it is not currently making any, said Lauren Rash, chief operating officer.

The company was also able to maintain its entire workforce through the pandemic with its essential services besides the PPE.

“Diamond Brand Gear is busy with several military contracts now that are deemed essential, getting started on the U.S. Marine Corps two-man combat tent. We have always been making helicopter covers with our partners, Cocoon Inc.,” she said.

“But we’re here as backup (for PPE production), ready to make when or if needed,” Rash said.

SylvanSport, a unique RV maker with a 60,000-square-facility in Transylvania County, pivoted its entire workforce to making N95 face masks and face shields in early March.

President Tom Dempsey said he was not only able to retain his 20-person staff while record-unemployment struck North Carolina but hired five more people during the pandemic due to the high demand for PPE.

While some telecommute, those who must be in the factory are spaced out to follow the Centers for Disease Control’s guidelines or staying at least 6 feet apart from others.

About four weeks ago, Dempsey said SylvanSport added a new division called SylvanSafe, which exclusively makes face shields, counter guards and foot operated door openers.

SylvanSport, a Brevard-based manufacturer of unique camper trailers, pivoted during the pandemic to making personal protective equipment, including counter shields such as this one at Advanced Auto.

He said he started SylvanSafe to “bring some clarity to the marketplace that we were in” and help explain to folks why this camping gear company is making PPE.”

Dempsey said at first the need for PPE was for health care and first responders. Then as the supply of masks and gowns caught up to fill their needs, he saw a need from businesses in WNC getting prepared to reopen during Phase 2.

He said the PPE manufacturing will continue, as they supply all the major hospital systems in the Asheville and Hendersonville areas, and in Cherokee. But the demand for camping gear also started to pick up with the warm weather, so SylvanSport is putting its core team back on to the production of its GO trailers and other gear.

Of “paramount importance” to Dempsey is keeping his workers safe through keeping socially distant, wearing face masks and screening employees for COVID symptoms.

He said the production of PPE will continue indefinitely.

Tom Dempsey, president of Brevard-based SylvanSport, which makes camping and gear trailers, has switched his manufacturing plant to producing PPE, including face shields, to help health care workers during the coronavirus pandemic.

“We've found a pathway to survive through this, and we've been able to reach our two goals. One was to keep the team together and not have to let anyone go, and the other was to help meet the need of the PPE space,” Dempsey said.

“We're just happy that the warm, nice weather is here and that people are returning to the outdoors because that is our core passion. We're excited to return to that business as well.”

Karen Chávez is an award-winning outdoors and environment reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times and USA TODAY Network. She is the author of "Best Hikes with Dogs: North Carolina," and is a former National Park Service ranger.

Reach me: KChavez@CitizenTimes.com or on Twitter @KarenChavezACT

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