BraunAbility to Suspend Operations through May 11

BraunAbility will suspend Winamac-based manufacturing operations through May 11. 

Officials say the proactive decision is due to decreased product demand and the surge of positive cases reported in neighboring counties. 

As of May 1st, three BraunAbility employees have tested positive for COVID-19, and each have voluntarily quarantined at home. The new stay-at-home practices helped identify two of the cases before the workers returned to the plant after the initial production suspension. Employees who may have come into contact with the third employee have been notified of their potential exposure but contact tracing efforts have determined that additional exposure was limited.

This is the second time BraunAbility has voluntarily suspended operations.  The first was in support of a request by the Pulaski County Health Department to stop the spread of COVID-19 for two weeks in April. 

The company implemented a broad range of preventative initiatives over the last six weeks including deep cleaning and disinfecting all facilities.  Additional handwashing stations were installed throughout the factory and production schedules were staggered to limit the number of employees inside facilities at one time. 

BraunAbility will resume production on May 11th to meet the needs of its customers in the disability community. The company is the largest employer in Pulaski County and will continue to work with local officials to minimize the impact of COVID-19 in the community.