Puritan Medical Products

BUSINESS HIGHLIGHT

Puritan Medical Products

Written by and photos courtesy of Puritan Medical Products Co.

PURITAN MEDICAL PRODUCTS: INC.’S “MOST IMPORTANT MANUFACTURER IN THE WORLD” HAS BEEN A MAINE INNOVATOR SINCE 1919

BEFORE THE CALENDARS turned to 2021, Inc. Magazine—one of the most recognizable business magazines in the world—decided to feature a “medical supplier in remote Maine” for its “Best in Business” feature. Inc. even went so far as to award that Maine-based medical supplier as the “most important manufacturer in the world.”

While there are many important manufacturers in the world—perhaps even more deserving nominees—we are proud and humbled to be recognized for our work during a challenging year. We are honored to represent not only Puritan Medical Products, but all of Maine, as we continue to innovate on behalf of our customers. In the Pine Tree State and beyond, millions of Americans rely on our innovation, and we will not let them down.

In truth, our recognition as an “important” manufacturer can be traced back to Michigan over a century ago. In 1919, Lloyd Cartwright launched the Minto Toothpick & Specialty Company in Saginaw, before bringing it to Guilford, Maine. In the heart of Piscataquis County and in the aftermath of World War I, we manufactured a single product: Mint-flavored toothpicks. There was nothing else.

Why Guilford of all places? Because of the town’s proximity to vast stands of northern white birch, the material we still mill on-site today. Without that white birch, we couldn’t have become a leading supplier of toothpicks, which allowed us to expand into other product lines in the decades to follow.

Over the years, we became Hardwood Products Company, LP, the parent

company of Hardwood Products Company, LLC, and Puritan Medical Products Company, LLC. We have evolved into a manufacturer that produces a wide range of single-use products for customers worldwide. These include the food, medical, automotive, veterinary, commercial agriculture, forensics, genetics, and diagnostics industries. We manufacture numerous Puritan® brand products, ranging from basic, familiar items like tongue depressors and tipped applicators to specifically designed products for more demanding applications.

Through small products, we achieve great things. All in all, we manufacture hundreds of unique items, many of them swabs and specimen collection devices. And our volume continues to grow.

Of course, we can’t do any of it without our dedicated team of employees. Mainers through and through, we employ more than 1,300 workers, who make and ship our products across the country and around the globe. And we are hiring and training hundreds more over the coming months. People are the driving force behind our ability to maintain a thriving organization for more than a century. Without them, we cannot innovate. Without them, we cannot succeed.

Nor could we confront the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. When the coronavirus came to our shores, we knew that Americans would need to be tested for the novel virus, tracing its transmission, and mitigating its spread. Faced with crisis, we saw another opportunity to innovate—because we had done it before. It began on Saturday, March 14th. The alarm sounded twice. First came a mid-morning phone call to Timothy Templet, our co-owner, from Brett Giroir, the U.S. assistant secretary for health. He wanted to know how fast we could ramp up the production of our nasal swabs. Two hours later, a second phone call went to Scott Wellman, our interim general manager, who was waiting in line for lobster rolls and sent it straight to voicemail. He would soon find out that it came from Maine Senator Angus King, who hoped to secure Puritan swabs on behalf of a senatorial colleague from Oregon.

The reason for the emergency calls was no state secret. It was splashed across the morning newspaper: A third NBA player tests positive for the coronavirus; President Trump is potentially ex-

WE HAD A DUTY TO MEET AND EXCEED EXPECTATIONS FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

posed to the virus by visiting dignitaries; there are three new presumptive positive tests in Maine. This was not a drill.

For the sake of public health, we set out to seize that opportunity. Fortunately, we were not alone: Recognizing the need for COVID-19 testing on a nationwide scale, the federal government leaned on us throughout.

Public officials are still leaning on us. Last April, we received more than $75 million from the U.S. Department of Defense to produce flock tip testing swabs, which are preferred for COVID-19 testing. In July, Puritan received another $51 million from the Defense Department to expand industrial production capacity, followed by another $11 million in November to accelerate production even further. Then, this past January, we were fortunate enough to receive yet another $110 million for swab production, as the need for COVID-19 testing persists.

With the influx of federal funding came great responsibility. We had a duty to meet and exceed expectations for the American people. This meant opening another production facility. After the pandemic began, we quickly realized that our existing production facility in Guilford could not keep up with skyrocketing demand, so we partnered with Cianbro Corp. to add another swab production facility in Pittsfield, located in Somerset County.

Like we have since 1919, we got to work. Granted federal funding to manufacture 40 million swabs per month, the new Pittsfield facility is hiring and training hundreds of workers to produce up to 100 million swabs a month. Our dedicated employees are stepping up and working harder than ever before to combat COVID-19. We are working early mornings and late nights to ramp up production. It’s working because we’re working together. That won’t change until the pandemic is in the rearview mirror.

Even as we serve the American people, we will not lose sight of our local communities. We are honored to be a Maine company first and foremost. Mainers welcomed the Michigan-based Minto Toothpick & Specialty Company with open arms, and we are committed to repaying their hospitality on a daily basis.

To that end, we participate in many initiatives that support local people— from offering scholarships for employees and their children to sponsoring local events, such as the Piscataquis River Festival. During normal times, our employees are at tennis matches and baseball games, supporting our youth. We are there for our first responders, showing them just how important they are to Maine.

But, as a private company, we know that we can help our local communities most by continuing to innovate, providing Mainers with career opportunities and financial security for their families. Looking ahead, we are committed to growing and seizing new opportunities, even if that means making the most of a future crisis. Over the last 50 years, our sales have grown more than tenfold for a reason.

Praise can be showered on every step of the corporate ladder—from our interns to our leaders. The Templet and Cartwright families carry forward the heritage of pride in every aspect of the Puritan operation.

We have no intention of slowing down. There is too much at stake. In “remote Maine,” the bells of innovation will never stop ringing.

Optimism matters more than ever.

Local business matters more than ever.

Supporting the people around us is more important than ever. We’re committed to helping you survive and thrive as only neighbors can. Tell us what you need and how we can help. We’ll build our relationship from there. We’re committed to helping our communities stay strong. Visit bangor.com today.

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