Northeastern Pennsylvania -
As the government, public, and private sectors work to address the many serious problems created by the COVID-19 pandemic, several clients of the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania are working directly and indirectly in the efforts.
American Paper Bag, LLC, www.americanpaperbag.com, Sugar Notch
A number of cities have banned plastic bags, and bags are now in even higher demand for food deliveries and pickups during the pandemic. American Paper Bag is quickly becoming the premier US-based paper bag manufacturer by producing a fully customizable, more environmentally acceptable ("greener") paper bag that reduces operational costs. American Paper Bag offers design features that no other American manufacturer can offer, including a best-in-class tamper-evident seal strip. The US bag market is approximately 100 billion bags annually, with nearly 50% imported from China. The environmental, political, economic, and public health climates have put pressure on consumers to avoid plastic bags and Chinese imports.
ConnexiCore, LLC, www.connexicore.com/, Milford
ConnexiCore is growing an elite national network of licensed remote drone pilots, which will allow clients to engage in no-touch data collection, particularly helpful during the need for social distancing during the pandemic. Using its exclusive cloud-based Software-as-a-Service flight management and analysis platform, ConnexiCore's turnkey approach manages the entire process, from aerial telepresence and data collection, to image and video analysis, to extracting insights from that data, to delivering measurable actionable tasks to support decision making for industry. Clients leverage drone-based aerial data to create efficiencies that save time and money.
Mountain Productions, Inc., www.mountainproductions.com, Wilkes-Barre
In response to COVID-19, Mountain Productions has partnered with i2M and restructured its manufacturing to produce anti-microbial vinyl protective gowns for healthcare workers and first responders. Mountain Productions designs and implements automated wash systems for flooring panels. The firm is the largest staging and event production company in North America, having supported thousands of events. The temporary floor panels frequently used as infrastructure at these events, often numbering in the hundreds or even thousands, currently must be hand washed. This investment will provide an automated pressure wash system for the flooring that will allow the company to better utilize its workforce.
Noble Biomaterials, Inc., http://noblebiomaterials.com/, Scranton
Noble Biomaterials, Inc. is a global leader in antimicrobial and conductivity solutions for soft surface applications. Noble produces silver-based advanced material technologies designed for mission-critical applications in the healthcare, performance apparel, industrial, and emerging wearable technology markets. In the current fight against COVID-19, Noble's clients Ag Scrubs and Bilio Mask are producing PPE with X-STATIC silver-based antimicrobial technology.
Precision POS, LLC, http://www.precisionpos.com/, Jessup
To accommodate customers while observing social distancing, and to maintain a revenue stream during the pandemic, restaurants are using online ordering systems to support take-out food orders. Precision POS provides advanced tablet point-of-sale and on-line ordering technology for the restaurant industry and related food and beverage businesses. To support increased need during the pandemic, Precision POS is currently offering 60 days of free online ordering with no set-up or implementation fees, available at http://FREEOlo.net.
Production Systems Automation, LLC, https://psasystems.com/, Duryea
Production Systems Automation (PSA) manufactures a large oven that kills bed bugs. PSA is validating the oven, dubbed the Temperature Controlled Disinfection Unit, as a method to heat hospital and healthcare facility linens and masks to 180 degrees Fahrenheit, hotter than the 132.6 degrees required to kill COVID-19. The oven is able to disinfect with a faster turnaround than other methods and is currently being tested in a Veterans Affairs hospital in Arkansas. In addition, in an effort to facilitate the safe re-use of PPE and other healthcare “Soft Goods,” PSA has developed and is offering a medical PPE sanitization unit. The units safely and effectively sanitize “Soft Goods” such as N95 masks, medical garments, gloves, and medical caps and gowns. PSA is a designer and contract manufacturer of specialized automated equipment. The company has machining and fabrication capabilities as well as innovative design and engineering resources that allow it to respond to clients' needs for unique equipment in various industries.
Select Products Holdings, LLC www.selectproducts-usa.com, Vandling
Disposable paper goods such as toilet paper and paper towels were among the first items purchased in bulk early in the pandemic, and nationwide shortages of these home essentials persist. Select Products Holdings manufactures only four products: paper towels, napkins, facial tissue, and bathroom tissue. The company's new 160,000-square-foot building integrates patented paper converting machinery, allowing the company to efficiently produce virgin and recycled paper into primarily private label for regional grocery stores, drug stores, and other at-home markets. Select Products Holdings seeks to hire employees to accommodate high demand, which provides opportunities for individuals recently released from other companies due to the pandemic.
Signallamp Health, INC, https://signallamphealth.com/, Scranton
The use of telemedicine for healthcare during the pandemic has been pivotal to protect patients and healthcare staff, and to reduce the spread of the virus. Signallamp Health's remote clinical services platform supports healthcare providers by triaging and assessing ill patients, including those affected by COVID-19, as well as patients with other conditions. Signallamp's services are remote, engaging nurses and other clinical staff by telephone, text monitoring system, video conference, and/or other telehealth and telemedicine methods. The company's model is plug-and-play, working alongside existing Electronic Medical Records. It does not require expensive and time-consuming integrations, so it can be put to work immediately. Trusted by a growing number of provider organizations in 10 states, Signallamp allows doctors to provide a value-added service to a larger number of patients and to achieve better health outcomes for patients.
studio BE Mindfulness, LLC, studiobemindfulness.com, Wilkes-Barre
While maintaining physical health is a priority during this pandemic, its effects on individuals' mental health are significant as well. Studio BE Mindfulness provides customized online, self-led, scientifically backed mindfulness techniques to help reduce stress, improve interpersonal communications, and enhance resilience. These methods will help employees remain peaceful and productive during the crisis and holistically recover from the anxiety afterwards. Studio BE currently offers an eight-week remote mindfulness training program to cultivate resilience and steadiness amidst global uncertainty.
Unison Workforce Technology, LLC, https://unisonworkforce.com/, Scranton
Having information on the spread of COVID-19 among the most vulnerable people in our communities, such as the elderly, helps authorities move resources to optimize healthcare services. Unison's technology can track the spread of infection using an app and telephonic solution among the nearly 2,000-homecare agencies in Pennsylvania. The technology can survey homecare workers each day for signs of COVID-19. As caregivers interact with in-home patients, the app can track patient contacts and report on the spread of the contagion. This data allows early intervention to test and treat our most vulnerable populations, improving the chances of positive outcomes, slowing the spread of the virus, and reducing the burden on hospitals.
About the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania
The Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania (BFTP/NEP) creates and retains highly paid, sustainable jobs by investing in and linking companies with experts, universities, follow-on funding, and other resources to help them prosper through innovation. It is part of a four-center economic development initiative of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and is funded by the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority.
BFTP/NEP's strategy encompasses three key areas:
1. developing and growing early-stage technology-oriented companies;
2. supporting established manufacturers as they creatively apply new technology to help them succeed globally by producing better, faster, and at a lower cost;
3. promoting an innovative community-wide infrastructure that supports Pennsylvania's business technology ecosystem.
Since beginning operations in 1983, BFTP/NEP has helped to create 19,257 new jobs for Pennsylvania workers and to retain 43,880 existing jobs, to start 525 new companies, and to develop 2,113 new products and processes. Since 2007, BFTP/NEP clients have generated more than $1.6 billion in follow-on funding. The Pennsylvania Ben Franklin Technology Partners network has returned $3.90 to the state treasury for every $1.00 invested in the program.
BFTP/NEP owns, manages, and is headquartered in Ben Franklin TechVentures®, an award-winning business incubator/post-incubator facility on Lehigh University's campus in Bethlehem. BFTP/NEP also owns and manages the Bloomsburg Regional Technology Center. Applying more than 35 years of experience and two international awards for excellence in business incubation, BFTP/NEP leads a 13-member business incubator network that is among the largest in the nation.
