Maine company to open COVID-19 swab factory in Tennessee

April 14, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. | Updated April 14, 2021 at 11:19 a.m.

by Associated Press

In this Tuesday, April 28, 2020, photo, Alexander Faigen, of Augusta University's Dental College of Georgia, shows how far a nasal swab to test for COVID-19 must be inserted. Volunteers at a Georgia dental college who started using a 3D printer to make nasal swabs used in test kits for the coronavirus are a major part of the state's effort to expand testing. (AP Photo/Ron Harris)
In this Tuesday, April 28, 2020, photo, Alexander Faigen, of Augusta University's Dental College of Georgia, shows how far a nasal swab to test for COVID-19 must be inserted. Volunteers at a Georgia dental college who started using a 3D printer to make nasal swabs used in test kits for the coronavirus are a major part of the state's effort to expand testing. (AP Photo/Ron Harris)

PORTLAND, Tenn. (AP) -- Gov. Bill Lee on Tuesday announced that one of North America's largest manufacturer of COVID-19 testing swabs will establish a new manufacturing and distribution operations in Tennessee.

Puritan Medical Products, a medical supplies manufacturer headquartered in Maine, will open a factory in Orlinda, Tennessee, state officials said in a news release. The project will result in 625 jobs over the next five years.

Puritan has played a major role in the U.S.'s efforts to conduct enough testing to help corral the coronavirus pandemic. The company's total production of flock tip swabs and foam swabs has increased from 15 to 20 million swabs a month to 70 to 90 million per month.

The Tennessee factory is expected to produce up to 200 million swabs per month.

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