Manufacturer wins critical federal approval to produce masks for the military

ST. PETERSBURG —Jabil Inc. has won a key designation from the Department of Defense that will allow it to develop a domestic supply chain of single-use, disposable FDA-cleared three-ply surgical masks.

The masks, which were deemed Berry Amendment-compliant, will be produced by the St. Petersburg company’s medical device subsidiary NP Medical Inc. Jabil officials say in a statement emailed to investors Monday that the masks filter 99 % of submicron aerosols.