Government Agencies Scramble to Purchase Hazmat Suits
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| Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons |
Government agencies across the world are rushing to snap
up protective gear as concerns about the spread of the Ebola virus
continue to dominate, with Lakeland Industries announcing that it has
received 1 million orders for Hazmat suits alone.
Lakeland hit the headlines last month when it was revealed that the U.S. State Department had ordered 160,000 Hazmat suits from the Ronkonkoma, NY company.
The manufacturer saw its stock soar by 30% in after-hours trading on Wednesday after a press release
on business activity related to Ebola revealed that the company was
still being inundated with orders for Hazmat suits and other PPE items.
“Through its direct sales force and numerous
distribution partners throughout the world, Lakeland has secured new
orders relating to the fight against the spread of Ebola. Orders have
been received from government agencies around the world
as well as other public and private sector customers. Certain of these
contracts require weekly delivery guarantees or shipments through the
first calendar quarter of 2015. The aggregate of orders won by Lakeland
that are believed to have resulted from the Ebola crisis amount to approximately 1 million suits with additional orders for other products, such as hoods, foot coverings and gloves,” states the press release.
The company adds that orders for ChemMAX and
MicroMAX protective suit lines have increased 50% since August and are
on course for a 100% increase by January 2015.
As Infowars reported last week,
the federal government is quickly exhausting supplies for Hazmat suits
in the United States, with numerous distributors being forced to place
stock on hold for “government needs” only as concerns about Ebola linger
after a third case was confirmed in New York.
Other federal agencies like the National Institutes of Health are also stockpiling PPE gear in anticipation of an “emergency event” disrupting the supply chain.
Lakeland, which already enjoyed a 40% stock surge in the aftermath of the first Ebola case being confirmed in the United States, is currently selling class A Hazmat suits for $1300 dollars. Business Insider’s Sam Ro accuses
the company of cashing in on the spread of the Ebola virus and the fear
that has come with it,” noting that the word “Ebola” is mentioned
twelve times in their press release.
