Santa Maria medical manufacturing company answering the call during pandemic

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - A locally-owned manufacturing company in Santa Maria is making coronavirus-related devices to help save lives during the pandemic. But as demands increased, the company took a turn.

There's a lot of noise inside Hardy Diagnostics, but the Food and Drug Administration-licensed manufacturer has been getting noisier since the pandemic started.

Aaron Buckley is the director of manufacturing at Hardy Diagnostics. He said the company underestimated the need for their products at first but quickly jumped into action to increase production.

"We didn't realize how big of an issue it would be. And so when that hit, we started ramping up on these products," Buckley said.

Products like plates, tubes, and bottles – used by microbiologists to detect bacteria. All devices that make COVID-19 testing possible.

As the pandemic worsened, the medical device company switched gears, kicking it into overdrive.

"We immediately started working Saturdays, Sundays, working tons of overtime, during a time when the stress of their work and personal life was At its highest," Buckley said.

Sales soared. Demands of their products increased locally, nationally and worldwide.

Jay Hardy is the CEO of Hardy Diagnostics. He says the company hired 40 more workers during the peak of the pandemic to help with transport.

The company started receiving contracts from several government agencies.

"The biggest one being the California Department of Health," Hardy said.

So far, Hardy Diagnostics has created millions of these critical devices, and they plan to continue making more of them during the pandemic.

"Our products save lives," said Zachary Hoffman,the company's quality control manager. "We make an impact in the community. We are part of that process. We make sure they have the tools they need to save a life. So we feel really motivated… because we feel like we're making a difference."

Much of their work involves speed, precision and accuracy, but no one seems to mind the extra hours caused by the pandemic.

"I know a lot of family members affected by covid. So making this product so everyone can get tested is something good," said Susanna Estrada, a product technician.

Aaron Buckley described the work the company has done over the last year as bittersweet.

"Obviously you know it had a huge impact on many of our employees and at the same time we were able to for fill that need and this type of service to help combat the COVID-19 spread,” Buckley said.

And the company's CEO says they're just glad they can help in the fight against the coronavirus.

"We played a very big role in that, and we are very proud to be able to serve in that way."

For more about Hardy Diagnostics, click here.