When COVID-19 struck, some of the largest companies in the world instantly stepped up to help. Amazon, for instance, quickly made a new, designated place on its ecommerce site specifically for organizations to shop for pandemic personal protective equipment.

But Amazon needed a source to stock its site with face shields, N95 masks, gloves, and more. So it formed a partnership with Urgent Response Network, a YPO member-led coalition that offices in Dallas-Fort Worth and China.

Urgent Response calls itself the largest provider of PPE and medical supplies to governments, health systems, and businesses. According to Business Insider, it received $10 billion worth of purchase orders amidst the healthcare crisis.

Amazon told Business Insider that “Urgent Response is a contributor to its PPE shop and that it’s working to distribute and deliver its products to the frontlines as quickly as possible.”

“We just formed a partnership with Amazon that we just signed over the weekend that we’re going to be sourcing and handing over our manufactured products to them,” JP McDade, president of Urgent Response, told the publication. “They’re deploying their own aircraft to Shanghai, and they’re going to be bringing over plane loads full of the product.”

He also said Urgent Response has operations in five countries and a “thorough vetting process for N95 respirators.”

Urgent Response Network forms multiple partnerships

Though Urgent Response says it has been manufacturing soft goods in Asia for three decades, it quickly repositioned sourcing, manufacturing, logistics, and quality control infrastructure in response to COVID-19.

The intent was to supply the most critical PPE to U.S. healthcare orgs, government agencies, nonprofits, and, with the new deal, Amazon. It was a pivot from Urgent Response’s already established client base, which included the MLB, NHL, NFL, NBA, and multiple Fortune 500s, according to the company.

A few weeks ago, Urgent Response announced another partnership with eShipping, a supply chain logistics company. The deal added Urgent Response to eShipping’s network of logistics customers, and enabled the two companies to seamlessly distribute PPE to front line workers together.

Brent Skoda, chairman and co-founder of Urgent Response Network, called the partnership the “final piece of the puzzle” to providing the best distribution of PPE.

“We selected eShipping because their systems give our customers end-to-end transparency to know exactly where their PPE products are from the time they leave the manufacturing plant to when their products arrive at their door,” he said in a statement. “This is incredibly important as it gives buyers comfort in knowing their PPE will arrive as promised.”

Most recently, Urgent Response announced another partnership with two dual PPE businesses, Wynn Innovations and Wynn Creations. Owned by a U.S. Air Force Veteran, the Sacramento, California-based company provides customized supply chain services and solutions to assist clients with logistics and procurement. It mainly focuses on assisting county, state, federal, military, and nonprofit institutions.

Urgent Response said the newest announcement expands its footprint.

“Our direct partnership with Urgent Response Network coupled with our existing partnerships allows us the opportunity to supply much needed PPE items to the places that need them most in America,” Benjamin Wynn, CEO of Wynn Innovations and Wynn Creations, said in a statement. “It is our mission to help replenish the supply chain issues we are facing today.”

Get on the list.
Dallas Innovates, every day.

Sign up to keep your eye on what’s new and next in Dallas-Fort Worth, every day.