TECNOL Medical Products, Inc. began shipments of its PFR-95 respirator masks.FORT WORTH, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--November 1, 1995--TECNOL Medical Products, Inc. (Nasdaq/NM:TCNL) announced today that it has begun shipments of its new PFR-95 family of respirator respirator /res·pi·ra·tor/ (res´pi-ra?ter) ventilator (2). cuirass respirator see under ventilator. masks. TECNOL has had 7 different models within this family of respirators certified as meeting new regulations as "N-95" respirators by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is the federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and illness. (NIOSH NIOSH National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health, see there NIOSH Recommendations for Safety & Health Standards Agent NIOSH REL*/OSHA PEL† Health effects ). N-95 respirators meet the criteria specified by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC See Control Data, century date change and Back Orifice. CDC - Control Data Corporation ), and the enforcement guidelines of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), U.S. agency established (1970) in the Dept. of Labor (see Labor, United States Department of) to develop and enforce regulations for the safety and health of workers in businesses that are engaged in interstate (OSHA OSHA n. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, a branch of the US Department of Labor responsible for establishing and enforcing safety and health standards in the workplace. ), for protection of healthcare workers from airborne Tuberculosis bacteria. Prior to the final approval of the recent regulations for N-95 respirators, OSHA enforcement guidelines required healthcare workers in certain Tuberculosis environments to use HEPA HEPA abbr. 1. high-efficiency particulate air 2. high-efficiency particulate arresting grade filter respirators. HEPA respirators were considered by many healthcare workers as being unsatisfactory for healthcare workers. TECNOL's PFR-95 respirators are expected to sell to hospitals for about $1.00, significantly less than the $8.00 cost for HEPA respirators cited in a recent NIOSH press release. "TECNOL chose not to enter the market with a HEPA respirator because our customers said they weren't suitable. We believed the regulations would eventually get revised to recognize the effectiveness of our type respirators against airborne Tuberculosis bacteria," said Van Hubbard, TECNOL's Chairman and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. . "Now that the OSHA guidelines require N-95 masks like our recently certified PFR-95's, we expect to be successful in this niche of the specialty surgical mask market, added Mr. Hubbard. TECNOL noted that it did not expect sufficient shipments in its current fiscal year ending December 2, 1995, to significantly impact this year. However, the company stated that it expected this product family to contribute to its growth in 1996. "We expect the PFR-95 to be one of our most important new products in years, because it will be supported by our principal strengths: our market leadership position in masks, our 50 person U.S. hospital sales force, and our automated manufacturing technology," concluded Mr. Hubbard. TECNOL Medical Products, Inc. designs, manufactures and markets disposable medical products which are sold in approximately 50 countries, primarily under the TECNOL brand name. TECNOL has 62% market share in sales of specialty face masks to U.S. hospitals. CONTACT: TECNOL Medical Products, Inc. David Radunsky, 817/577-6490 or Morgen-Walke Associates Naomi Rosenfeld/Andrea Mabel Media Contact: Michelle Zawrotny, 212/850-5600 |
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