H&V Receives 2021 AIM Next Century Award for Pandemic Response
EAST WALPOLE, Mass., December 9, 2021 – Hollingsworth & Vose (H&V) announced today that it has received the 2021 Next Century Award from the Associated Industries of Massachusetts in recognition of H&V’s outstanding COVID-19 response. Next Century Awards honor employers, community organizations and individuals who have made unique contributions to the Massachusetts economy and the well-being of the people who live in the state.
“AIM created the Next Century Award to honor the accomplishments of companies and individuals creating a new era of economic opportunity for the people of Massachusetts. These remarkable people and institutions inspire the rest of us by exemplifying the intelligence, hard work and dedication to success that has built our commonwealth,” said John R. Regan, President and Chief Executive Officer of AIM.
As a global manufacturer of advanced filtration and battery separator materials at the front of the supply chain, H&V had been working for years with advanced solutions for cleanrooms, hospitals, commercial and industrial buildings, heavy-duty equipment and more.
H&V and its 366 Massachusetts-based employees shifted the focus of this global company to provide materials for N95 respirators, ventilators, medical gowns and hoods, and components for COVID-19 tests, as well as products for medical, industrial, residential and transportation filtration systems. Meanwhile, the company’s battery separators went to support medical equipment and contribute to backup power sources for emergency vehicles, hospitals and other facilities.
“As the past two years tested the limits of companies and individuals alike, we focused on leading the way globally for the production of ventilator filter media, and we remained one of the top worldwide producers of N95 mask filter media. Moving forward, we will work to stay ahead of the demand for these PPE and medical filtration materials while also providing increased supplies of filtration materials for homes, commercial buildings and schools that are capable of filtering COVID aerosols,” said Val Hollingsworth, Chief Executive Officer for H&V.
In the midst of unprecedented demand for health care products and personal protective equipment, H&V’s employees and facilities faced mounting pressure to produce as orders backed up. The company mounted a plan to increase productivity to meet the need for PPE products, especially the filter media used in face masks.
Family-owned for seven generations, the company’s origins go back to 1728 when an “Act for the Encouragement of Making Paper” was passed by the General Court of the Province of Massachusetts Bay. Evolving continuously since that time, H&V now operates manufacturing and research & development facilities in the Americas, Europe, China and India.
About Hollingsworth & Vose
H&V is a global manufacturer of advanced materials used in filtration, battery and industrial applications. H&V’s advanced materials contribute to a cleaner world through their use in products that provide clean air, clean liquids and energy storage. Family-owned for seven generations, the company is headquartered in East Walpole, Massachusetts. Learn more at www.hollingsworth-vose.com.
