Madera businessman creates headliner for construction workers to keep them cool

MADERA, Calif. (KFSN) -- Contractors are hard at work in Madera and often dealing with intense Valley heat.

"The complaints of their hard hats always being too hot was something I was always hearing from these guys," said Sergio Madrigal, HP liner owner.

Madrigal is the owner of ECI, a roofing contractor and spray foam insulation contractor in Madera. For years His employees tried to keep their heads cool.

"One of my workers tried to spray foam on the top of his hard hat for that purpose to try to keep it cooler. It made it to heavy and made it aesthetically didn't look right. That's where it all started-- where I started," Madrigal said.

That problem helped launch HP Liner. Madrigal designed an Insulated layer that fits inside hard hats. It snaps right into a hat. The liners are meant to keep heads cool by keeping the sun out.

A controlled environment at company headquarters showed the HP Liner in action. On one side we have the helmet with the liner inside and the other helmet has no liner. The temperature difference is 90 degrees for the one with a liner and 121 for the one without.

The HP Liner was submitted for a patent two years ago. It's made in the LA area. The insulated layer is qualified to be sold as a hard hat accessory.

"It definitely makes the employee cooler and another advantage of the liner is that you can wet it and you can get that added evaporative cooling," Madrigal said.

Madrigal says it can also work in cold weather environments by keeping heads warm. So far, he's already seen major benefits from the accessory.

"I would credit the liner to adding some comfort to their day and getting their productivity at the right point."

You can find it on the company's website, Amazon, and Alert-O-Lite.

The Madera businessman says he hopes to be able to reach workers not just in the Valley but beyond.

"I guess it's that entrepreneurial spirit that keeps things going," Madrigal said.

A product that's helping workers keep their cool in the summer and warm in the winter.