D’Addario is underway in engineering and manufacturing face shields to help alleviate the dire shortage of protective gear for New York and the world’s healthcare workers.

Even before our factories were closed, D’Addario immediately began devising a way to use its resources to support the global response to COVID-19. Our team of engineers quickly learned how to fabricate protective face shields using the clear film from Evans G2 drumheads. In only three days, we developed the first prototype. Using our FDA approved Dynatomy brand, we will be mass-producing the Dynatomy Face Shield in the Evans drumhead facility, which the NYSEDC approved to stay open.

“We called this Project Excelsior after the New York State motto, which means ‘Ever Upward’ because it captured the extraordinary determination and can-do spirit of our small team of engineers and product designers,” says CEO John D’Addario III. “It also typifies our music company’s current credo during the COVID-19 crisis: #wewillplayon.”

100,000 Shields Per Week

The goal is to be in production by April 27th, producing up to 100,000 face shields per week. In many ways, the Dynatomy Face Shield is transforming D’Addario from a music accessories company into a medical necessities company. Advertisement

“It’s our intention to manufacture these shields as long as they’re needed in New York or anywhere around the globe,” says Chief Innovation Officer Jim D’Addario. “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.”

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