Hexa Containment evolves with COVID-19 outbreak

LA PORTE, TX (KTRK) -- Hexa Containment is a company in La Porte whose products are used to contain and respond to environmental spills.

These days they're working hard to make masks and personal protective equipment. It's something they just started doing and they certainly didn't see it coming.

"If you would have told us we'd be manufacturing face shields 30 days ago, we'd have thought you were crazy," said PJ Dial, the company's vice president of sales.

The idea to make these products came about when management was looking for ways to ensure they wouldn't have to lay anyone off. Someone suggested making face shields and a prototype was finished within a day.

"We began to post to social media that we had these masks available," said Dial. "And immediately we started getting orders."

Dentists were the first ones interested in the shields, but first responders and hospitals soon showed an interest. And now Hexa is working with governments to get these products into the hands of those who need them.

"The State of Texas cut an order for 50,000 masks right away," he says.

And the production of these face shields are also helping other businesses. Dial said a company in Beaumont was about to layoff their entire workforce, but Hexa Containment was able to bring them on to help with the demand.

"We'll be up to 20,000 masks a day," says Dial as it relates to Hexa's production capabilities.

They're also in talks with other governments and hospitals across the country and Dial says he's proud to be helping where he can.

"When we began to talk to hospitals whose officials were actually in tears, it really hit home," he says. "I shared that with our crews and told them there's a need for this."