How I Built This · 28 Apr 2022 · 30m
Lloyd Armbrust, founder of Armbrust American, explains how he pivoted from ad-tech software to manufacturing surgical masks in just six weeks during the early pandemic. He details sourcing a $140,000 automated production line from China, securing a low-cost facility in Austin, and raising $3 million in funding to scale production to one million masks daily. Armbrust discusses the critical challenges of sourcing melt-blown filter material, navigating FDA emergency use authorizations, and the broader lack of US manufacturing infrastructure that makes domestic production difficult despite high demand.
early-stage companies
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