Within 72 hours after receiving a call from a local hospital, Andrew Pittam’s (BSM ’06) company had completely switched gears to help essential businesses amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Brock University graduate is the Vice President of ASTOUND Group, a design and build company based out of Oakville that specializes in creating exhibit booths for businesses that host trade shows, have retail spaces and hold live events.

When COVID-19 began rapidly spreading, ASTOUND dropped everything — and quickly — to start producing safe screening booths for local hospitals. Their products are specifically designed for rapid deployment and construction in order to be able to support as many communities as possible. 

“St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto reached out to us when the virus outbreak first started,” said Pittam. “We are known as a custom fabrication company that can pull things off very fast. From concept to install, the first project was completed in 72 hours.”  

The products that ASTOUND are creating have a plexiglass front to protect healthcare workers who are taking information from possible COVID-19 patients.  

“We have built and installed over 100 screening stations in hospitals throughout Ontario so far,” said Pittam. “We have also built one Rapid Assessment Centre at St. Michael’s hospital in Toronto and are talking with several hospitals about significant projects that include more than 100 temporary treatment rooms and some offsite temporary hospital projects.”  

The company is also working with essential business across North America, such as grocery stores and hospitality businesses, to help alleviate the shortage of personal protective equipment like masks by using the protective plexiglass stations. Once ordered, the product is ready within three days, is customizable and can be self installed. 

ASTOUND has more than 600,000 square feet of manufacturing space between Canada and the U.S. To request a safe plexiglass booth for frontline workers, visit their website.