D’Addario pivots from drumheads to face shields

Long Island’s premier musical instrument maker has joined the effort to produce personal protection equipment for healthcare workers.

Though D’Addario had to close its Farmingdale plant as part of the state’s ban on non-essential businesses, the company has found a way to become essential, transforming its Evans drumhead facility into a face shield factory.

The firm’s plan is to mass-produce face shields under its existing Dynatomy brand, which already makes FDA-approved physical therapy products. The face shields are made using the clear film utilized for its Evans G2 drumheads.

The goal is to be in full production by April 27 or earlier and to ramp up as quickly as possible to a capacity of 100,000 face shields per week, according to a company statement. 

“It’s our intention to manufacture these shields as long as they’re needed in New York or anywhere around the globe,” Jim D’Addario, the company’s chief innovation officer, said in the statement. “We’ve watched the incredible efforts of our healthcare and essential services workers all across the world with great admiration. While we cannot match the immeasurable efforts of these selfless heroes, we feel an immense responsibility to do our part in overcoming the COVID-19 crisis.”