Medical Supply Company & Medical Product Manufacturing Blog | Dukal Corporation

An exciting acquisition for DUKAL Corporation

2012-02-29T13:12:00.000-08:00

Written By: Stephen Stack (Senior Graphic Artist)

Earlier today DUKAL Corporation announced another milestone! See below for more details on this exciting news! What a great day to work at DUKAL!

DATE: February 29th, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DUKAL CORPORATION TO ACQUIRE CERTAIN ASSETS OF DONOVAN INDUSTRIES

RONKONKOMA, NY, February 29th -- DUKAL Corporation (www.dukal.com) announced today that it has entered into an agreement to acquire certain assets of Tampa, FL-based Donovan Industries Inc. (www.donovanindustries.com). Both are privately-held companies.

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

DUKAL President Gerry LoDuca commented, "This transaction will expand our existing product line and customer base, is well-aligned with our aggressive growth strategies and supports our objective to be a preferred provider of high quality products used in healthcare. We are looking forward to utilizing this acquisition to strengthen our existing business and expand our global reach into the primary and long-term care markets."

Jim Donovan, president of Donovan Industries said he was pleased to link his company to DUKAL. “I am very confident that our customers and the industry in general, will be well served by this acquisition."

ABOUT DUKAL

Since 1991, DUKAL Corporation has been a privately held supplier of disposable medical products based in Ronkonkoma, NY. The company produces its products through strategic manufacturing partnerships with a focus on high quality and is dedicated to providing best in class products and supply chain solutions to its customers. DUKAL products are used every day by healthcare professionals in Acute Care, Primary Care, Long-Term Care, Dental and Veterinary settings, and can be found in Consumer, Industrial and Safety outlets throughout North America and Europe. Additional information may be found at www.dukal.com.

ABOUT DONOVAN

Since 1979, Donovan Industries is a recognized name as a quality provider of healthcare products. Family-owned and operated, Donovan Industries is a supplier of Skin Care, Baby Care, Oral and Shaving Care and many other products. Donovan Industries offers an extensive line of products that meets the needs of the Acute Care and Alternate Care markets under the names of DawnMist and Redi + Wash. Additional information may be found at www.donovanindustries.com.

CONTACT:

Rick Kinsella CFO, DUKAL Corporation

631-656-3800

RKinsella@DUKAL.com

Have a Safe and Happy Independence Day !

2011-07-01T09:09:00.000-07:00

Written By Richard DeJoseph (Marketing Coordinator)

As our country’s Independence Day approaches this Monday, fireworks sales have sky rocketed, pun intended. Here in New York and many other states, casual firework use is illegal; however there are a number of areas where it is still legal. If you are going create your own fireworks spectacular, be sure to put together a 4^th of July First Aid Kit. Safety first! You should put the same amount of time into picking out sparklers and Roman Candles into the medical products that can come in handy in case something goes wrong.

For starters, most home health stores and pharmacies carry a variety of medical products. Start with the basics like gauze sponges, tape, burn ointment or aloe, and adhesive strips. If your local pharmacy has a larger selection, emergency pressure dressings and conforming gauze are great items to have on hand as well.

Once you are ready to start the show, make sure to read all instructions on your fireworks packaging. Despite what you may think, your novice pyrotechnic skills aren’t enough to rely on. In the event something goes awry, consult a first aid booklet or call 911. Burns leave scars, so be sure that you treat the initial wound with care; continue to care for the wound as it heals to lessen the chance of scaring. Better to remember the festivities with pictures instead of scars from a sparkler mishap; there’s nothing patriotic about that.

We hope that your Independence Day celebration goes swimmingly and without a hitch. But, a few minutes spent at the pharmacy can prove to come in handy in the event something does go wrong. DUKAL wishes everyone a great holiday weekend, happy birthday America! Land of the free, home of the brave!

DUKAL Teaches the leaders of tomorrow

2011-05-06T06:44:00.000-07:00

By Heather Llorca-Kropp (Director of Martketing)

DUKAL had the unique opportunity to participate in the St. Johns University Executive in Residence program this spring. The program is a semester long class where 3 teams of students were given real business strategy projects by various companies. The students would meet with us periodically during the semester and conduct strategy sessions where they would learn our business and be given advice on the project by our Marketing, Operations and Finance Executives. At the conclusion of the program they came to our board room to present 3 different business plans. We were very impressed with the outcome of their efforts!

We entered into this expecting a fun experience and ended up having a rewarding and meaningful time with the students. We looked through their eyes at the work that we do every day with renewed energy and excitement. Sometimes in our career we become so accustomed to doing things a certain way, working with the students reminded us of the potential that can come by looking “outside the box”. The experience made me feel very positive about the caliber of young leaders that will be entering the workforce this year and leading us all into tomorrow. I genuinely enjoyed meeting them all and being a mentor to such a fantastic and enthusiastic group of young people. Who knows? Maybe one of them will go on to create and run the next innovative and progressive company of our time! If we gave some inspiration for them to do so, that will be the greatest reward of all.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, Irish Soda Bread Recipe

2011-03-18T08:02:00.000-07:00

Written By: Maggie Karl (Manager Contract Manufacture)

Annual DUKAL St. Patty's Day Lunch

Yesterday Gerry treated his Irish and Irish food loving employees to a traditional feast of Corned Beef and Cabbage, so I thought I would treat our blog readers to my Irish Soda Bread Recipe!

We lovingly refer to this as our “Irish Soda Brick” because it’s a very heavy bread, a sweet and dense treat that’s delicious straight from the oven or toasted with your morning coffee.

Maggie’s Irish Soda Bread

3 cups All Purpose Flour
1 cup Bread Flour*
1 cup Granulated White Sugar Zest of 1 Large Lemon**
1 Tbsp Baking Powder

3 Large Eggs
1 cup Milk***
¼ cup Buttermilk

1 cup Raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a standard loaf pan.

Combine dry ingredients and lemon zest in a large bowl.
Lightly beat 3 eggs, add milk and buttermilk, then mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Mixture will be thick, but if it looks too dry add another splash of buttermilk.
Stir in raisins, then pour mixture into greased and floured pan. Bake for 65-75 minutes, or until the bread sounds hollow when knocked on.

Notes:
*This was the first year I used bread flour and I really liked the texture. This bread was still dense but was slightly spongier than the other loafs I made with 4 cups of all purpose flour. That being said, you can certainly use all non-purpose flour if you don’t happen to have bread flour on hand.

**The more lemon zest the better. You can add some orange zest if you like, too.

***We only ever have 1% milk in our house, so that’s what I use, but any percent will work. You could also use all buttermilk, or all regular milk, as long as the total volume of wet ingredients remains the same.

Support for Breast Cancer Research

2010-10-25T13:10:00.000-07:00

By Dianne Tuzzolino (Sales Administrator)

Support for Breast Cancer Research comes in all different sizes, shapes and colors…

Just ask the folks at Body Stylz Tatoo and Piercing Studio in Avon Lake, Ohio….seems they are running “Tattoos for a Cure” October 19^th – 23^rd.

Get a tattoo of a cancer ribbon for $10.00 and the proceeds go towards Breast Cancer research…That’s for the people who really want to shout out their support for this great cause. Talk about wearing your heart on your sleeve!

Don’t want a ribbon but still want to help? 10% of any other tattoo is donated as well…

What a great unique idea…

DUKAL was asked to make a donation of product for the event and we were glad to help. Many of the DUKAL employees have friends or family affected by cancer…and in many cases breast cancer. Anytime we can help we try to do so…we wish everybody at Body Stylz much success during the event!

Check out their Facebook page or website for even more information

Body Stylz

If you live in the area of Avon Lake~ stop by and say hello! Maybe even get a tattoo for this important cause!

Some of the ladies at DUKAL are big fans of “ink” as well...they proudly show of some their art in support!

Hounds on the Sound

2010-10-08T07:11:00.001-07:00

Written by Suzanne Carlino (Graphics Manager)

      DUKAL participated in, as well as was a proud sponsor of the 2nd Annual Hounds on the Sound Dog Walk event which was held on October 2nd.
     The DUKAL 2010 Make A Difference campaign continues to make great strides! Hounds on the Sound is a collaboration between the New Rochelle Humane Society and Pet Rescue. They teamed up to host this walk to raise funds for cats and dogs in need.   Proceeds from the event will benefit both organizations. The walk had a great turn out with over 600 walkers and dogs walking hand in paw for a great cause.
Kiki, my mixed breed and I were joined by fellow DUKAL animal lovers along with their dogs and made the trip to Glen Island Park in New Rochelle, NY. What a fantastic venue to support such an event! The walking paths followed the perimeter of the island which sits overlooking Long Island Sound. In addition to the walk, there were over 40 vendors with great products and services for our four legged friends. Add in the food and the music and you could not have asked for a better day!
Kiki didn’t know what to think of the event at first as she doesn’t get out much and is basically the queen of our castle. She did enjoy sharing the car ride with Bailey who is a puggle and is far more reserved than Kiki, and was the least bit phased by all the commotion of the day. But then introduce Wagner a full grown black lab who only wanted to play with every other dog in sight and we had ourselves a dog gone good time!!
       If you get a chance to attend one of these events I highly recommend it! Nothing beats spending a beautiful day with some special people and your most loyal friend!

Suzanne Carlino, proud owner of Kiki

Written By Kiki

2010-10-08T07:11:00.000-07:00

Written By Kiki

       Wow my friend Bailey is here, I love playing with her! Why are we getting in the car? The car means the groomer or the vets! Maybe I am going to training; since Bailey is here and she goes to school with me. Nope no training, where are we going?
      In the car there is my mommy, 2 two legged people, Bailey and me. The car ride was nice, but we need fresh air. Finally we are getting out of the car, come on get my seatbelt off so I can get out! There are so many dogs , I wonder if Bailey see’s what I see? Which way to go there are so many dogs, my mommy is walking around looking for something maybe a bone or a treat for me! Bailey is excited but she is not showing it she is very calm.
     Oh boy, I just met Wagner and he is so big, I need to hide he will not leave me alone! Good we are walking around now, there are doggie treats everywhere. My mommy bought me something, yeah!
           I guess we are going now, my seatbelt is going on. Bailey and me had so much fun we walked, we played, saw other dogs and got treats. In the car we go, and now I can take a nap!

DUKAL Make a Difference 2010

2010-08-20T06:26:00.001-07:00

Written by Suzanne Carlino (Graphics Manager)

         I am proud to say DUKAL had a lot of success last year with our Make a Difference Campaign. We are in full swing for another great year in 2010. We have chosen some new charities this year and we are looking to be successful again in donating our time and/or making donations.
        Last year when the Make a Difference Campaign was presented to us, I was thrilled. I knew I wanted to give back and what charities I would like to nominate. My nominations came easily to me because there are moments in your life that can change you forever and that moment happened to me six years ago. I never thought I would say “I have cancer” and now six years later I am proud to say “I’m a survivor “. I am so grateful to the people that volunteered their time and money to the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. Their donations went to supporting research to give people like me a fighting chance.
       Without these people volunteering their time and/or money, my life could have been dramatically different. Because of them I wanted to and needed to be a part of giving back and I knew any charities DUKAL chose would be a winner.
       I think I can speak for ALL of DUKAL and say that the little time it took to plan all the events doesn’t compare to the joy we felt participating and knowing that just the little time we gave we “Made a Difference” in someone’s life.
       Stay tuned for more information on DUKAL’s 2010 Make a Difference Campaign.

The New Era of DUKAL

2010-08-11T08:54:00.000-07:00

- Written by Stephen Stack (Senior Graphic Artist)

New address, new building...same quality! We have been at 2 Fleetwood Court, Ronkonkoma, NY since the end of April and things are finally starting to fall into place. Fleetwood Court is officially under construction!

Our corporate sign in up on the lawn and contractors have come in and started to section off the building to create more space for all the departments of DUKAL Corporation.

Our typical work day is business as usual but, with noise in the background. Saws are buzzing, hammers are hammering and walls are being knocked down. Annoying? ....Absolutely! but it's the sound of change and I can't help but to welcome it with open arms, knowing the final result will be something special.

Not really knowing what the final building will be like is exciting; and who doesn't want more space to work? Owner, Founder and President Gerry LoDuca has really out-done himself with the plans of renovations to 2 Fleetwood Court; and it's exciting to see his vision coming to life. With more space for each department and a fitness room for DUKAL employees to stay fit it's safe to say Gerry LoDuca is a president that cares about his employees.

I'm confident once construction is done here at 2 Fleetwood Court, the new home of DUKAL will make us more productive as a company and be a building that's very comfortable and inviting for all employees, customers and partners of DUKAL. This new building is a literal symbol of the growth of DUKAL and this is only just the beginning!

A day in the life of a new Dukal employee….

2010-03-17T08:54:00.000-07:00

Written by Michael Fucci (Product Manager)

My name is Mike but you can call me new guy one. That is how I was affectionately referred to for my first few weeks on the job. It’s been a whirlwind first two months, but a good whirlwind. I am learning a lot, a lot about Dukal, our products, our industry and a lot about my co-workers. For the sake of the length of this post and to avoid any uncomfortable moments at the office tomorrow I won’t discuss my co-workers!

Let me backtrack and relive a day at Dukal during my first week.

8:30am: Get to the office

9am: Shown how to look up information on our website.

9:15am: Told to put that information into a PMF excel sheet.

9:16am: I ask, “What is a PMF?”

9:17am: It’s explained to me.

9:20am: I get started on the PMF sheets.

11am: I finish my first sheet, whew – “is the day over?” I wondered.

Noon: Take lunch and take my first breadth of the day!

It went on like this for 2 or 3 weeks, not always PMF sheets, sometimes detail sheets, sometimes quote sheets, always some sort of a “sheet”.

Since those really early weeks I have learned to be somewhat self-sufficient and I like to think I’m even starting to make some good contributions. I can honestly say that I haven’t worked in a company that is as well run as Dukal. The atmosphere in the office is one of fun and hard work within a family-like environment. I can see why Dukal’s clients really value their relationship with Dukal. It’s something I didn’t understand when I first arrived but am noticing it more and more everyday.

That is it for this installment of the new guy report but check back regularly to hear more about my fascinating days!

My Trip To China

2010-03-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

Written By: Maggie Karl (Manager Contract Manufacture)

In June 2009 I was approached by my boss with an interesting opportunity. It went something like this:

Heather: "Maggie, how would you feel about going to China?"

Maggie: "Ok, that sounds great let me see what my…"

Heather: "You’re leaving in September and going for 6 weeks, use this website to apply for a visa, then let’s book your tickets."

Ok, maybe it wasn’t QUITE that shocking, but what I’m saying is there wasn’t much notice and next thing I knew I was living in Shanghai and trying to learn how to use chopsticks before I starved myself.

How could I say no? Here’s a chance to get to know our China team better, explore the factories, and see a part of the world I deal with on a daily basis but have no empirical knowledge of. It was amazing to follow the process as a bale of cotton turned into a gauze sponge; from spinning the threads to threading the needles to weaving the material, cutting to size, folding, packaging, and sterilizing. There were lavish dinners and lots of Baijou and more pearls than I could count. I got to see the quality processes and became adept at putting on shoe covers, bouffant caps, and lab coats in seconds flat. I washed my hands until they were raw. I loved every second.

(Saw some interesting translations in my travels, too)

Thankfully, the China team speaks English much better than I speak Chinese. I never progressed too far beyond "Ni Hao" (Hello), "Xie Xie" (Thank You), and "Fapiao" (Receipt). I did, however, learn the universal language of "karaoke".

I also learned some neat things about our factories, saw some very impressive machinery, and finally got to put a face to many of the names and voices I work with every day. In my 4 years at Dukal I had learned a lot about our products, but to actually watch them being made gave me a new respect for the process and the efforts of all the individuals who have a hand in the final product.

All in all, the experience was pretty amazing and I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity. If you should find yourself traveling abroad, however unexpectedly, be sure to give me a shout - I have some great tips for you.

Dukal Make A Difference Campaign

2009-11-06T12:23:00.000-08:00

Dukal Make A Difference Campaign

By Stephen Stack

Early 2009 the DUKAL Marketing Team decided we wanted to make a difference in the world not only in a business sense but overall. We all decided that we wanted to start giving back so we held various meetings to narrow down charities we wanted to help this year. Once we narrowed it down we opened it up to the whole company and got a huge response! We broke up into teams and started to plan which events we would be participating in.

It’s getting towards the end of the year and so far the campaign has been very successful! We were able to raise more then our target donations for both the AHRC and Breast Cancer research. Barktoberfest was a lot of fun to be a part of to promote the adoption of all the pets at the Brookhaven Animal Shelter. We were also able to donate over five pallets of our product and clothing to the Christian Appalachian Project.

With the Donate a Phone, Soup Kitchen, and Toys for Tots still to go I’m very optimistic that we’ll succeed in making a difference and I’ve found it’s been a lot of fun to give time and donate to these charities. It feels good and at the end of the day and it’s really not a big sacrifice to give up a little for a good cause because the reward of giving is always bigger then what you give.

I think I can speak for all of DUKAL saying every second spent planning this campaign has been worth it and I can only see the DUKAL Make A Difference Campaign growing from here.

If you’d like more information on the DUKAL Make A Difference Campaign please visit.
http://www.dukal.com/make-a-difference.html

New York Football, A comparison to DUKAL Marketing

2009-10-09T06:48:00.000-07:00

New York Football, A comparison to DUKAL Marketing
By Stephen Stack, Graphic Artist

It’s Fall and football is in full swing and it’s great to be a fan in New York! Both The New York Giants and The New York Jets are out to make a statement in the NFL to show that the state of New York is serious about football! As an employee of DUKAL I feel the same sense of eagerness to make a statement to healthcare manufacturing from the DUKAL Marketing Team. I can’t help to compare the members of DUKAL marketing to the dynamic players and coaches of the New York Jets and Giants.

First and foremost a team can not be good without a good coach! Ellenmary Martin is the VP Sales & Marketing for DUKAL. She calls the plays and has the final say when it comes to DUKAL Marketing. Just like Tom Coughlin of the New York Giants Ellenmary has worked her way up to success in the field of healthcare for over 20 years. As a veteran of the biz, she’s known to be a stern leader with a meticulous attention to detail just like Coughlin. Her experience and success makes her the perfect person to be calling the plays for our department!

The DUKAL Director of Marketing is Heather Llorca-Kropp, who can be compared to Eli Manning the young QB of the New York Giants. Eli has been in the league for six years and has a Super Bowl ring on his finger. Like Eli, Heather has enjoyed major success as a veteran with experience. She has spent over eleven years in healthcare. She’s a great director and eager to make an impact in healthcare manufacturing. She continues to direct the marketing team in new directions keeping DUKAL in the mix for great success, just like Eli Manning to the New York Giants.

Suzanne Carlino DUKAL’s graphics manager can be compared to the defensive leader of the New York Jets Bart Scott. She has been working in graphics for over seven years and always pushes the envelope with her designs. Now at DUKAL she has the chance to shine and be a leader just like Bart Scott of the NY Jets. Still young and hungry Suzanne continues to be a major part of the DUKAL Marketing team and a person to look out for in the future.

One of our product managers Maggie Karl is one of the work horses of DUKAL. As product manager for Private Label customers of DUKAL she’s a vital part of DUKAL’s success in producing new products for our customers and partners. The New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs is a perfect example of Maggie’s role in DUKAL. Like Brandon, Maggie is a shining young star and a vital part to the DUKAL Team, our team would not be successful without such a dynamic player like Maggie.

Laura Passarella is the DUKAL Brand product manager she is responsible for all the new products coming out by DUKAL. As a young major contributor to DUKAL she is definitely like Leon Washington of the New York Jets. Leon only four years in the league he has made himself one of the most important players on the NY Jets. Same goes for Laura as every year her role in DUKAL gets larger. Just like Leon the team wouldn’t be the same without her.

Our young Marketing assistant Richard DeJoseph has been at DUKAL for two years and has been proving himself to be a man who deserves respect. His multiple talents of being a twitter expert and “idea man” of DUKAL makes him comparable to Mario Manningham of the New York Giants. Like Mario Rich has only been here for a few years but eager to prove himself as a point scorer in the DUKAL Team. His youth and eagerness proves him to be a young up and comer at DUKAL.

Last but certainly not least… me! Stephen Stack a young graphic designer for DUKAL, I compare myself to star tight end of the New York Jets Dustin Keller. I’ve been at Dukal for three years, and eager to add to the brand to make big plays. During the off season Dustin worked on his blocking to be a bigger contributor to the NY Jets. Under the Leadership of Ellenmary, Heather, and Suzanne I’ve been striving to better myself as a designer, and always try to look outside of the box and be a contributor to DUKAL’s success.

Like any player in the NFL we at DUKAL face many challenges and criticism. However, with the spirit of New York football permeating through our department I’m very optimistic of the future of DUKAL. Like every player and employee mentioned, we’re all out to make a difference and impact at what we do. As a young department we have a lot to prove and a lot to say! And like the players of the NFL we hope to be watched and loved. We treat our customers like fans of a team, and we’ll do anything to win for them!

Welcome to the DUKAL Blog

2009-10-09T06:10:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the DUKAL Blog!
Heather Llorca-Kropp, Director of Marketing

Our team has always been unique, fun and progressive in our thinking and with the great new tools that social media provides us we can share our selves with you, our customers! We have unwrapped our company here on our blog so you can not only learn about our products but also:

• Learn about our team- What is the DUKAL team like and what are cooking up in
the DUKAL product development think tank today!
• Share - with others in healthcare and the spa industry – Join a community of
your peers in conversations and share news!
• Engage us – Tell us about your ideas or thoughts on products and programs!
• Use Resources – We will post relevant links and news along with our Product
news and quirky stories !
• Give! – Join the 2009 Make a Difference campaign!

We work hard, Play hard and really care what our customers think of us! Please consider this your blog an open discussion and feel free to leave comments and send us articles to be published on timely and related material.