A Richmond-based decorative concrete company is joining the global fight against COVID-19 by adding a new product to its lineup: hand sanitizer.
DreamCast Design estimates it will be able to produce up to 1,800 bottles of hand sanitizer – the first 1,000 of which will be donated to the community, said managing partner Catherine Traschenko.
The company – at Vauxhall Place near No. 5 and River roads – is just waiting on its drug identification number (DIN) from Health Canada.
All of the equipment is already in place, said Traschenko. As a supplement to its concrete products, DreamCast manufactures “care kits” for home fireplaces, which include bottled sealers.
“So we’re switching that side over to focus on hand sanitizer,” she said, explaining that once the company looked up the formula they realized it’s quite simple in comparison to the type of concrete mix they usually make.
The challenge, said Traschenko, was locating the raw material needed to produce the hand sanitizer – much of which costs more due to the pandemic. The company began searching in the beginning of March, but only received the material late last week.
“Where we are currently – the only thing we’re waiting on is getting a DIN number from Health Canada, so we’re hoping to be able to start (fully producing) in about two weeks,” said Traschenko, adding that DreamCast should be able to test the hand sanitizer later this week.
Traschenko said that regardless of the cost of materials, the company wants to do what it can to help the community, and will be donating much of the first batch.
“This is something that we can afford to do, and something we want to do to help locally, as a small business,” said Traschenko. “We can’t give millions of dollars to a cause – we just don’t have that sort of ability. But you do what you can, especially when you’re faced with the everyday realities of what’s going on, and, you know, it’s a social responsibility to assist.”
Part of the batch will be donated to elders in the Russian community, both in Richmond and throughout the Lower Mainland, said Traschenko, which the company has ties to.
Both she and her mother have Russian roots, while one of DreamCast’s employees is an “older Russian gentleman,” Traschenko said.
“For him personally, his kids live up in the Interior, so getting groceries, getting cleaning supplies – all those things are out of stock. It’s hard to get,” she said. “Just clearly seeing firsthand the problems that (older people) have is something that we want to help with.”
Traschenko said any other seniors in the community can also reach out to DreamCast for a bottle of hand sanitizer.
The company will also be donating bottles to other small Richmond businesses, said Traschenko, which need the product to keep operating comfortably during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Traschenko said the company is also feeling the financial impacts from the coronavirus, and is currently operating with a “skeleton crew,” with some employees in high-risk groups or choosing to stay home.
“In terms of impact, like all small businesses, it’s been fairly devastating,” said Traschenko, with orders slowing down as people essentially hit the pause button.
Down the line, if the current market situation doesn’t improve, the company hopes the revenue from the hand sanitizer will help cover rent and payroll, she said.
“The goal is, you have to weather the storm,” said Traschenko.
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