MetroHealth Receives 15,000 Face Shields from Lubrizol for Front-line Medical Workers

CLEVELAND – Fifteen thousand full-face shields have been shipped to The MetroHealth System to help protect its front-line caregivers during the COVID-19 health crisis. The donation is from Cleveland-based Lubrizol Corporation, which collaborated with Nike to make the equipment available to health systems in several U.S. cities.

“These face shields will allow us to treat patients while keeping our front-line medical providers safe,” said MetroHealth President and CEO Akram Boutros, MD, FACHE. “We appreciate this generous donation. It’s another example of the community coming together to care for each other.”

To support Nike’s efforts to develop and donate the equipment to hospitals, Lubrizol donated ESTANE® thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) polymers, an important element in the full-face shields.

Nike's version of the full-face shield transforms elements of the brand's footwear and apparel, including TPU. Lubrizol’s innovation team quickly evaluated materials, provided insights to optimize performance and re-orchestrated its production and supply chain to produce and donate the necessary material to Nike as part of this effort.

With Lubrizol’s support, Nike has shipped full-face shields and powered, air-purifying respirator (PAPR) lenses to health systems in Oregon, where Nike is headquartered; Cleveland, where Lubrizol’s world headquarters sit; and several other cities. Earlier this month, Lubrizol announced a $2 million donation commitment to support COVID-19 needs globally.

Lubrizol’s TPU is an incredibly versatile polymer that bridges the gap between flexible rubber and rigid plastics, which allows partners to apply TPU across a wide range of applications. In addition to full-face shields and powered, air-purifying respirator (PAPR) lenses, Lubrizol’s TPU is being used in medical gowns, medical equipment, hospital mattresses, tubing, hoses, and medical devices for many other critical applications.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Nike to improve lives and support those in need during COVID-19,” says Rick Tolin, President, Lubrizol Advanced Materials. “Every day our employees enable products used across the world, and our team is fully committed to enabling our science and applications expertise to deliver even greater impact during this global crisis.”