LOS ANGELES – Ortho Mattress, one of California’s largest mattress companies, has reconfigured a factory in Phoenix and is now producing 1,000 non-medical facemasks per day for essential workers.
Ortho said it shipped to its hospitality customers last week and will begin shipping to needy customers this week for the cost of shipping only. These non-N95-rated masks are not for healthcare workers but are designed to meet increasing demands by local officials for everyone to wear masks in public, officials said.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti recently called for residents to wear protective masks, Ortho officials noted.
“Our heart went out to our customers in hospitality for the immediate need to protect their workers, and we now are embracing this call to action to support others in our community,” said Ken Karmin, CEO of Ortho Mattress. “Mayor Garcetti’s plea that people should wear a protective face covering made us realize the imperative to step up our efforts to reduce the spread of the coronavirus to the best of our abilities.”
Ortho Mattress will take orders on its website (https://www.orthomattress.com/) starting on Monday, April 6. It will prioritize at risk customers, such as essential workers and senior citizens.
Ortho Mattress, headquartered in Cerritos, Calif., was founded in 1957 and has mattress stores throughout Southern California.
