Cemex grant funds PPE production in Houston

To date, the nonprofit TX/RX has manufactured and distributed more than 20,000 face masks across the Greater Houston area. Photo: Cemex

Cemex awarded a $100,000 grant from its philanthropic arm, the Cemex Foundation, to Houston-based TX/RX Labs to help fund and make personal protective equipment (PPE) for medical professionals and first responders in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Starting in mid-March, TX/RX pivoted all production capabilities to making PPE, according to Cemex, and immediately began prototyping and delivering samples.

To date, the nonprofit TX/RX has manufactured and distributed more than 20,000 face masks, nearly 29,000 face shields, 40 intubation boxes, 26 qualitative fit testing hoods and more than 1,200 nasopharyngeal test swabs across the Greater Houston area.

“CEMEX has long-valued health and safety as its number-one priority for employees and communities, and CEMEX has a strong track record of working with our community partners to make a difference,” says Jaime Muguiro, president of Cemex. “We are all in this fight together against COVID-19, and through this innovative initiative, we are proud to help fill a critical need and help protect the brave men and women who protect us.”

The grant from the Cemex Foundation supports TX/RX’s continued innovation and development of PPE to help up to 20,000 people.

“Our flexibility and agility are key to meeting immediate needs as well as solving long-term problems,” says Roland von Kurnatowski, founder of TX/RX. “With The Cemex Foundation’s donation, we expect to be able to exponentially increase production to meet the demand we are continuously receiving. We appreciate their support in furthering our PPE initiative and funding grassroots innovation.”

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