Total Corbion PLA (www.total-corbion.com), a 50/50 joint venture between Total S.A. (Paris, France; www.total.com) and Corbion N.V. (Amsterdam, the Netherlands; www.corbion.com), is joining the fight against the coronavirus by donating Luminy polylactic acid (PLA) resins for the production of 3D-printed medical devices and protective equipment. Smart Materials 3D in Spain launched a mask-making initiative, and they will receive the PLA resin to produce PLA filaments. In co-creation with companies like Fixit, 3D Printers, IMBIC and Clone Wars VLL, the PLA filaments will be used to make medical masks and protective equipment using 3D-printing technology. All these companies are contributing to the initiative on a voluntary basis. The 5 tons of Luminy PLA resins that Total Corbion has donated will allow the production of over 125,000 masks. With the help of a distributed network of agents for 3D printing, the masks will be available within weeks to health centers and hospitals all across Spain.
Examples of 3D-printed masks (Source: Total Corbion)
Siemens, DSM and Baker Hughes are also among the industry experts in 3D printing who are lending their materials and technologies to pandemic-response measures.
Another company donating materials is Henkel AG & Co. KGaA (Dusseldorf, Germany; www.henkel.com), who has converted a production facility at its Düsseldorf site and produced the first 25,000 liters of hand disinfectants. Henkel will donate them to surrounding hospitals and public institutions. Next week, the company will continue the production and will produce the same amount of disinfectant.
Henkel has converted a production plant to produce disinfectants, which will be donated to local healthcare facilities (Source: Henkel)
“With our comprehensive solidarity program, we want to contribute to the fight against the corona pandemic. We are very proud that the team at our headquarters in Düsseldorf was able to provide the production capacity at such short notice to produce disinfectants for medical use,” says Carsten Knobel, Chief Executive Officer of Henkel.
Flavor and fragrances manufacturer Givaudan (Vernier, Switzerland; www.givaudan.com) has set up a dedicated production line for hand sanitizer at its Vernier site in Switzerland, and will be donating over 60 tons (equivalent to 700,000 bottles) over the next two weeks.
Givaudan is now producing hand sanitizer at several sites around the world (Source: Givaudan)
Beneficiaries of the hand sanitizer include Swiss hospitals in the Geneva and Vaud cantons close to Givaudan’s Vernier site, local transport partners including Geneva airport, Geneva public transportation, NGOs and small associations, and important local services which are all supporting the pandemic efforts.
In addition, smaller quantities of hand sanitizer are being produced in other Givaudan sites in the U.S., Europe and Singapore. This is to provide protection for employees and to support local communities and services with their increasing needs. Over the coming weeks, the Company aims to increase production output to provide further donations.