The Texas boatbuilder is focusing on protecting frontline health care workers.
On April 3rd, Tigé Boats announced that they’d be transitioning away from building surf/wake boats and focusing on producing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to support those on the front lines in the battle against COVID-19.
The Abilene, Texas-based boatbuilder had already donated 2,000 protective suits to local hospitals, but with a staff of 200 skilled workers and plenty of upholstery equipment at hand, they went to work producing face shields and masks.
“Our team has been working tirelessly and moving quickly to support the first responders during such a tough and unprecedented time,” says Charlie Pigeon, founder, owner and CEO of Tigé Boats Inc. “Our goal is to embrace the talents of our workforce to combat COVID-19 and return to normal life as quickly as possible.”
As materials became available, the company ramped up production of face shields and masks from 1,000 a day to 5,000 a day. They’ve also created a training video and templates for other boat manufacturers to make it easier for more boat builders to support the cause.
Tige Boats has implemented safe operating conditions for its employees. Everyone has full PPE protection and abides by social distancing rules, and the company implemented alternating shifts. “Everyone jumped in and took pride in being part of a solution,” Pigeon added.
