Advantus and Emerge Manufacturing to make PPE supply chain more cost effective for hospitals and health systems
CINCINNATI, Ohio. (Dec. 13, 2022) — Cynthia Booth, a recognized business leader and veteran entrepreneur, has founded Emerge Manufacturing to bring onshore Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) manufacturing to Cincinnati. Under Booth’s leadership, a new 50,000-square-foot manufacturing plant will provide jobs and economic stimulus to the area, while also addressing our nation’s problem of overdependence on offshore resources for critical life-saving supplies and equipment.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, the reliance on offshore manufacturing from outside of the United States became increasingly evident to hospitals and other industries,” said Booth, president and CEO of Emerge Manufacturing. “At the same time, I experienced the impact of the supply chain crisis as a 20-year owner of a business that employed essential workers. It was during this time that I decided to launch Emerge to bring PPE onshore sourcing and manufacturing to my hometown of Cincinnati.”
Once operational, Emerge Manufacturing will produce products that will help protect and save the lives of first responders and essential workers in the health care industry and, eventually, other industries.
Advantus Health Partners, a health care solutions company designed to make supply chain easier for its clients, will be one of Emerge Manufacturing’s initial clients. Advantus provides services to hospitals, outpatient clinics, ambulatory surgery centers, and health systems across 40 states, with a mission to transform the digital and physical supply chain existing in healthcare.
“Bon Secours Mercy Health and Advantus Health Partners are proud to be part of Cynthia Booth’s vision to bring U.S.-based sourcing and manufacturing of PPE to the health care industry,” said Dan Hurry, chief supply chain officer for BSMH and president of Advantus Health Partners. “The pandemic highlighted the need for more sophisticated supply chain organizations to support our health care infrastructure with solutions that make supply chain easier and more cost efficient. There has never been a more important time to help mitigate the economic pressures faced by hospitals and health systems.”
Advantus provides true value solutions for the industry, with a singular focus to transform the continuum of care while reducing health care costs across the U.S. Led with clinical efficacy, Advantus will partner with Emerge to ensure quality PPE that delivers on safety for our front-line providers. As a leader in the supply chain industry, Advantus will also expand Emerge’s reach across their growing portfolio of health care clients. Advantus is proud to invest in domestic production of PPE which allows for a more resilient supply chain solution. COVID-19 highlighted the risk of relying on off-shore manufacturing and unfortunately health systems paid a hefty price when sourcing options were limited.
Emerge plans to manufacture face masks, surgical masks, and N95 masks, among other PPE products. The plant will run multiple production lines, manufacturing PPE from chemical-free woven fabric supplied by U.S. companies. Additionally, there will be space in the facility where medical professionals and others can provide training and information on health care related topics to the community. Emerge expects to create more than 100 jobs in the company’s first three years. Construction of the facility is scheduled to begin during the first quarter of 2023, with an expected opening in early 2024.
