Coronavirus response: US companies work to combat COVID-19 any way they can

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Companies around the country have, literally overnight, retooled their businesses to help fight the coronavirus.  

Distilleries across the country have halted production of alcohol to make hand sanitizer; car companies like Tesla are building ventilators instead of cars.

One small business in Washington, D.C., has already produced three million bottles of hand sanitizer in less than two weeks.

David Simnick at Soapbox has made and sold soap with a mission for the past 10 years – and for a good cause, he says.

“Every time someone buys one of our products, we donate a bar of soap,” said Simnick.

But when one of their partners called in March — requesting hand sanitizer — that mission grew.

“Within 24 hours, we had source to formula, we created a whole bottle and design and look, we were able to get the approval from the FDA,” said Simnick. “And then we went to market.”

Soapbox is just one of the many companies stepping up to meet the demand for essential supplies.

For example, right now, Austin-based Tito’s Handmade Vodka is shifting production to produce 24 tons of hand sanitizer.

This week companies like Tesla and Xerox say they’re revving up work to help address the shortage of ventilators.

Simnick says Soapbox is standing by their commitment to charity, and will donate three million bars of soap to match the bottles of hand sanitizers they sell to hospitals and retailers across the country.

“Our whole team feels incredibly privileged and honored in order to be able to stand with our community right now and make a difference,” he said.