New industry in Ash Grove makes, sells face masks

Current business expands operation to include pandemic product
 
Griffin Industries has been in business for almost 48 years; first as a casket manufacturer, and then in the late 2000s, a maker of various sheet-metal components. Now, Stuart Coutchie, president of Griffin Industries, has started a new line of manufacturing for the Ash Grove business – disposable face masks.
Coutchie manufacturers the face masks through Hanna Bioproducts, a new business he named for his seven-year-old daughter. He makes them in the same building in which Griffin Industries is located.
“We built a clean room for manufacturing the masks inside our current location,” he said. “Everything is made and shipped from our location in Ash Grove.”
Many of Hanna Bioproducts’ customers are distributors, schools and residential care facilities. So far, Coutchie said, business is “okay,” but it is hard to compete with mask makers located outside of the U.S.

“It has been a challenge to deal with foreign competition on the masks,” he said “We are setup to make about 100,000 masks per week, but have not reached capacity for sales on these.”
To help boost sales, Coutchie said Hanna Bioproducts went online and began selling masks over the Internet. As such, they have had orders from as far away as Texas.
“We have increased our online presence and can now take online orders,” he said.
A case of 600 masks costs $95, plus tax. Coutchie suggested several households could go together to purchase one case.
“Our case price is pretty competitive,” he said. “If several families got together, they could save a lot of money splitting a case.”
Coutchie said he isn’t sure what the future of Hanna Bioproducts will be, but is hopeful it will provide some new opportunities.
“We haven’t decided what the next phase is for Hanna Bioproducts,” he said. “I am always looking to take on another manufacturing challenge, and the masks hopefully will help us grow in some new and exciting directions.”
Likewise, Coutchie hopes Hanna Bioproducts will also benefit Ash Grove.
“We are glad to be able to help the community, both by providing a needed product and helping the local economy by adding employees,” he said. “I hope to continue the trend in the future.”
Hanna Bioproducts is located at 101 North Tower Avenue in Ash Grove. For more information or to place an order, go online to www.hannabioproducts.com, call (417) 751-2043, or visit their Facebook page.