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12/22/2020
Pawtucket’s Propel sees explosive growth with mask production
Pawtucket-based Propel LLC pivoted its operations in March to start producing cloth face coverings for members of the military and general public and has sold more than two million to date.
PAWTUCKET – Pivoting to meet the demand for cutting-edge cloth face masks earlier this year, a local Pawtucket company has been thriving as it’s created two million masks and counting.
Propel LLC, a woman-owned small business located at Hope Artiste Village, 999 Main St., was founded in 2006 as a technology innovation company focused on the development of products for the U.S. military market. Clare King, president of Propel, said the Rhode Island Textile Innovation Network received word back in March that the governor thought cloth face coverings would be needed for general use. With a background in manufacturing, King said she stepped up to answer the call, ordering a half-million yards of elastic.
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PAWTUCKET, R.I., Dec. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ Propel,
a woman-owned textile technology innovation company focused on the development of products for the U.S. military market, has experienced explosive growth in 2020 after pivoting quickly to producing cutting-edge cloth masks amid the COVID-19 pandemic. While the company primarily focuses on the U.S. military market, innovation and industry expertise have made it possible to continue to grow the business during this difficult time while achieving the goal of creating superior masks that are both affordable and accessible.
In early March 2020, when the pandemic had made its way to the U.S., Propel s leadership had the foresight to order a half-million yards of elastic, anticipating the oncoming need for protection for the military as well as the general public. From concept to production, the process of developing the mask took only five days. The company is now producing masks in multiple U.S. factories, sourcing U.S.-m