Personal care firm Ontex has announced that it has built the capacity to produce 80 million surgical face masks per year, at its facility in Eeklo, Belgium.
The company said that production of the IIR-type face masks, which are in high demand due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis, will commence in September of this year.
Ontex said that it has invested in specialised machinery and is in the process of training staff ahead of commencing production, while it is undertaking the project of its own initiative, without government funding.
Supporting Essential Workers
“We are investing in the production of surgical face masks to support caregivers and other essential workers,” commented Annick De Poorter, vice president for R&D, quality and sustainability at Ontex.
“We want to help protect these people, including Ontex employees, who keep society going by providing essential goods and services.”
In the short term, Ontex said that it is also providing local authorities with direct contact to a trusted face mask supplier, ahead of it commencing production itself.
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