OC Business Journal Features IO’s COVID-19 Story

Image Options was featured this week in the Orange County Business Journal. The article spotlights the personal protection equipment (PPE) we are producing, and also looks at how IO is navigating the complexities facing businesses during COVID-19 while still planning ahead during these uncertain times.

When Image Options reopened our facilities to start producing face masks just a few short days after closing due to the coronavirus, we had no idea the scope or longevity that would be required. There was a severe need for personal protection equipment (PPE) by the healthcare community, and IO knew we had the capabilities to answer that call for supplies.

“It’s a huge changeover, but because we focus so much on custom work, it was just like switching over to another custom project, only it’s kept going,” said IO Chairman Tim Bennett in the interview.

While IO was ramping production to 70,000 face shields daily, we were also navigating applications to the government Paycheck Protection Program which were constantly shifting, in order to protect our work force from the extremely volatile market. Looking ahead, it’s clear that we won’t be able to flip a switch and go back to normal. Much of…

Printing Impressions interviews IO for COVID-19 efforts

Watch our chairman Tim Bennett talk about the restructuring and innovation behind the millions of much needed COVID-19 protection products Image Options has produced.

(Source: Printing Impressions feature of IO)

We are continually proud of our team at Image Options for pivoting so quickly to meet the needs of first responders and healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our full staff is back at work, and we’ve even been able to hire some temporary workers to help meet demand. Where we started at a production rate of 5000 face shields per day, Image Options is now producing 50,000 per day between our two facilities. To date, in just a few short weeks, we have shipped just over half a million units.

Tim reflected, “Having a team with a built-in knowledge base allows you to innovate really quickly and put those skill sets together to think outside of the box.” In addition to the face shields, IO is producing retail checkout shields, pop-up shelters, and even emergency beds and dividers.

IO has also built an online ecommerce solution for quick ordering of face shields. This allows people to go on and order as little as 10 at a…

ABC News features Image Options COVID-19 PPE

Image Options is so proud of our team’s effort to support healthcare and retail workers on the front lines. As a company of entrepreneurs and innovators we knew we wanted to pivot and give back to the community as best we could. In a matter of days, we transformed our fabrication centers to start producing face shields, and we have been continually adding new personal protective equipment (PPE) since then.

(watch ABC’s coverage of Image Options)

When the stay-at-home order first hit, Image Options briefly closed production. Several of our employees quickly realized the need in the community as they heard stories of PPE shortages from friends and family in the healthcare industry. IO opened back up after less than week and immediately started developing COVID-19 PPE solutions.

“I’ve got friends whose daughters are nurses and they can’t get the equipment they need,” said Ron Jennings, Image Options vice president of fabrication. “Knowing that these are going out in the medical community, protecting our frontline workers, it’s a great feeling.”

What started as face shields and masks developed into the additional production of pop-shelters, in-take stations, emergency beds, and now checkout shields that protect grocery, retail, and restaurant workers. So far…