Music manufacturer D’Addario has announced “Project Excelsior,” a new initiative where the company will convert the production of Evans G2 drumheads into protective face shields for medical workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“My friends at D’addarrio make the best strings. They keep me in good supply always. Check this out,” Greensky Bluegrass’ Paul Hoffman said in reaction to Project Excelsior. “Proud to be a part of the D’Addarrio family.”

Project Excelsior is projected to be fully functional by April 27, and the company hopes to produce up to 100,000 face shields a week from deconstructed drumheads.

“We die-cut the shield, get some foam rubber to space it from your forehead, and get a strap on it for your head,” Chief Innovation Officer Jim D’Addario explained to Drum Magazine. “If Remo, Aquarian, or any other drumhead company wanted to do it, I’d certainly welcome a phone call and tell them what we’ve been through doing it; this is about helping with a problem… For me, it’s very rewarding to watch my team come together on stuff like this. They’re clever people, and so dedicated to helping out the cause. I’m really proud of them.”

If all goes according to plan, New York State will purchase the face shields directly and distribute them to hospitals across the Empire State. D’Addario is also open to shipping nationally or globally to help those in need.

Read the company’s full statement below:

D’Addario’s engineering team has found a way to transform Evans G2 drumheads into protective face shields for medical workers battling the coronavirus pandemic. The goal is to be in production by April 27th and to quickly ramp up to a capacity of 100,000 face shields per week.
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We plan to manufacture these shields as long as they’re needed in NY or anywhere around the globe. We’ve watched the incredible efforts of our healthcare and essential services workers all across the world with great admiration. While we cannot match the immeasurable efforts of these selfless heroes, we feel an immense responsibility to do our part in overcoming this crisis.
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We called this Project Excelsior after the New York State Motto, which means “Ever Upward” because it captured the extraordinary determination and can-do spirit of our small team of engineers and product designers. It also typifies our music company’s current credo during the crisis: #WeWillPlayOn.