Olympic Sailor designs and produces new PPE accessory on an industrial scale to help those who experience ear pain from wearing face masks
For many, wearing a mask is not just uncomfortable it can cause rubbing and pain around the ears too. Will Howden (pictured below), former Olympic sailor known on the Extreme Sailing Series and America’s Cup circuit, has designed an innovative solution – The Ear Protector.
Will Howden coached the American and Dutch Tornado class teams in the 2004 Athens Olympics and won silver at the 2005 Tornado World Championships in La Rochelle. He competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and always knew he would return to his other passion, design and engineering, when it was time to leave his sailing career behind.
In 2018 he joined forces with Craig Pyser, who bought a composites business from 3M in 2009, creating a springboard into the world of composites. Will and Craig together launched the company AMufacture, a 3D printing company designing and manufacturing solutions for some of the marine industry’s toughest problems. Will has refined his approach over the years and now delivers winning solutions to some of the country’s leading marine companies and aeronautical designs for America’s Cup boats.
When COVID-19 spread to the UK, AMufacture immediately repurposed some of their capacity and began 3D printing their own designs of face shields which they donated to NHS front line workers.
William Howden COO of AMufacture explains further: “During this difficult time, we were inundated with requests from friends and family, who had a brief idea of what we did, and asked us if we could help. Naturally, we said yes and initially started to look at the current design of the shields. We made a few moderations and we were able to start 3D printing batches in a couple of days. It soon became apparent to us that there was a serious need to address an unresolved problem with face masks – people were really beginning to suffer and were getting distracted from their work.”
The Ear Protector, designed and manufactured in the UK, is a simple and versatile solution aimed at helping those who must wear face masks. It is particularly suited to people who have sensitive ears and skin or simply must wear masks for extended periods.
Craig Pyser, CEO of AMufacture said: “Whilst a large part of our client base has predominantly been the marine industry as well as the composite market, drawing on our previous experience, we wanted to help. Though we normally design and manufacture products for America’s Cup yachts and industrial clients, we were keen to see if our design skills could assist those working on the frontline. It has been very successful, some of our first customers were large NHS trusts, and we have ramped up production so now, all those that need to wear a face mask can do so with comfort”.
The Ear Protector is now available directly via the products website www.theearprotector.com with the intention of being available soon on NHS frameworks. Companies outside of the NHS are encouraged to contact directly.
