HARTFORD—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) announced on Monday that Modern Plastics of Shelton is this week’s “Murphy’s Monday Manufacturer.” Ordinarily, Modern Plastics is a sheet, rod, tube and film distributor of plastic medical-grade materials, producing products for companies like Sikorsky Aircraft, Electric Boat/General Dynamics, General Electric Medical, Lockheed Martin, and more. But in recent weeks, the company has retrofitted its 40,000 square-foot facility in Shelton to join the global fight against the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) by producing personal protective equipment (PPE) such as FDA-approved face masks. Modern Plastics also is making the plastic barriers meant to keep store clerks safe and plastic boxes used to protect health care workers during certain medical procedures. The company was founded in Bridgeport in 1945 and is currently celebrating 75 years in business. Prior to retrofitting, Modern Plastics employed 17 people. They have increased their workforce to over 250 in recent weeks to keep up with production of their face mask shields.

“As COVID-19 spreads across communities around the world, businesses in Connecticut are stepping up in a big way to protect our health care workers and first responders who fight the virus from the frontlines. I want to applaud Modern Plastics for their innovation and forward thinking. Their PPE and other safety products will go a long way in making sure our medical professionals are protected in the fight against COVID-19, and their products will ultimately save lives,” said Murphy.

“Modern Plastics has been a Connecticut company since 1945, and we love the state of Connecticut. We are humbled and proud to be helping protect health care professionals and the public during this current COVID-19 crisis with our products and services,” said Bing J. Carbone, President of Modern Plastics.

Modern Plastics is also active across Connecticut as members of the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce, Business Advisory Council for Southern Connecticut State University and Shelton High School system, and the Shelton Economic Development Corporation. The company also works with the Boys and Girls Club of Lower Naugatuck and the Shelton Community Vision Coalition.

The manufacturing industry plays a crucial role throughout Connecticut communities, creating new jobs and accelerating the state’s economic recovery. Today, Connecticut’s thousands of manufacturers account for 10% of the state’s jobs and 87% of the state’s total exports. In order to protect and grow manufacturing jobs in Connecticut, Murphy has introduced two pieces of legislation that aim to strengthen existing standards and prioritize the purchase of American-made goods, the BuyAmerican.gov Act and the American Jobs Matter Act. 

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