June 2, 2022 – Medicom announced a new partnership with Vitacore Industries Inc. (“Vitacore”), a British Columbia-based company that manufactures surgical masks and respirators. This partnership will encompass the manufacture and distribution of Vitacore respirators in new markets, including the US, as well as collaboration on innovative PPE recycling program developed by Vitacore.
Medicom and Vitacore represent the only two Canadian-based companies that have received National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) approval for their N95 respirator masks. In addition, Medicom and Vitacore were among the first Canada-based manufacturers to receive Health Canada authorization and certification by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) for their respective N95 respirators.
This partnership further bolsters Canada’s prominence as a leading PPE manufacturing center. It will also provide much-needed supply chain resilience and improved pandemic preparedness for the Canadian healthcare system and North America as a whole.
Furthermore, both companies are committed to mitigating the impact of PPE on the environment and are collaborating to commercialize and expand the recycling program and technologies developed by Vitacore. In the last year, Vitacore implemented its innovative recycling program in four Canadian hospitals, collecting the equivalent of more than nine million masks and respirators. The converted material has been used for concrete reinforcement and other construction products.
With an estimated 63,000 tons of personal protective equipment ending up in Canadian landfills by the end of this year, this program is aligned with Medicom’s ambition to limit the environmental impact of its medical devices and manufacturing facilities.