# HIBT Lab! Armbrust American: Lloyd Armbrust

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2022-04-28
- Length: 30m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-04-28-hibt-lab-armbrust-american-lloyd-armbrust

## Summary

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.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-04-28-hibt-lab-armbrust-american-lloyd-armbrust#t=0) Introduction: Lloyd Armbrust and the Pivot to Mask Manufacturing
- [2:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-04-28-hibt-lab-armbrust-american-lloyd-armbrust#t=130) Background: From Ad-Tech Startup to Pandemic Opportunity
- [6:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-04-28-hibt-lab-armbrust-american-lloyd-armbrust#t=381) Sourcing Equipment: Flying a $140,000 Machine from China
- [9:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-04-28-hibt-lab-armbrust-american-lloyd-armbrust#t=580) Facility and Setup: Securing Austin Space and Automation Experts
- [14:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-04-28-hibt-lab-armbrust-american-lloyd-armbrust#t=871) Regulatory Hurdles: FDA Emergency Use Authorization and Testing
- [16:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-04-28-hibt-lab-armbrust-american-lloyd-armbrust#t=1018) Supply Chain: Sourcing Melt-Blown Filter Material
- [17:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-04-28-hibt-lab-armbrust-american-lloyd-armbrust#t=1075) Financing and Strategy: Raising $3M and Avoiding Exit
- [19:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-04-28-hibt-lab-armbrust-american-lloyd-armbrust#t=1171) Sales and Marketing: Shopify Launch and Consumer Demand
- [22:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-04-28-hibt-lab-armbrust-american-lloyd-armbrust#t=1334) Workforce: Hiring from the Local Nail Salon Industry
- [24:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-04-28-hibt-lab-armbrust-american-lloyd-armbrust#t=1491) Business Challenges: Boom/Bust Cycles and Infrastructure Gaps

## Topics

- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Armbrust American (company)
- 3M (company)
- Shopify (tool)
- FDA (other)
- U.S. Bank (company)

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- [Obstacles to Quickly Reshoring American Manufacturing w/ Rylan Pyciak](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2025-05-13-obstacles-to-quickly-reshoring-american-manufacturing-w-rylan-pyciak) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [Matchmaking Supply and Demand for Parts Manufacturing w/ Markus Seibold](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2024-10-15-matchmaking-supply-and-demand-for-parts-manufacturing-w-markus-seibold) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [Mass-Manufacturing a 5-in-1 Ventilator System for COVID-19 Relief](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2020-06-17-mass-manufacturing-a-5-in-1-ventilator-system-for-covid-19-relief) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [Midjourney's medical scanner, a Patriot missile's two-year supply chain, and why Ford had to rehire 350 engineers it let automated systems replace](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/go-no-go/2026-07-01-midjourneys-medical-scanner-a-patriot-missiles-two-year-supply-chain-and-why-for) (Go/No-Go)

## Citing this page

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