INEOS Styrolution (Frankfurt, Germany) has donated over 1,300 kg of ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) to Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), to help produce protective glasses for frontline healthcare workers at the university clinic and other healthcare institutions in the Erlangen, Germany area. Personal protective equipment (PPE), such as glasses, face masks and gloves, are in high demand across the globe.
Safety Glasses are being manufactured at the University Erlangen-Nuremberg (Source: Ineos Styrolution)
The Institute of Polymer Technology at the university has not been set up for production of goods in high volumes, but scientists there wanted to help colleagues in the university clinic, who ran out of protective gear. Determined to find solutions, they found innovative ways to overcome any challenges they encountered.
“We requested support from the industry, and we are thankful that INEOS Styrolution responded immediately – even providing more material than we had requested”, said Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dietmar Drummer, chair of the Institute of Polymer Technology.
“We are proud to be part of this success,” adds Dr. Eike Jahnke, Head of Product Management Standard ABS EMEA at INEOS Styrolution. “We admire the passion of the team at the university to get this project off the ground in such a short timeframe.”
Within four weeks, the team at the FAU produced 100,000 pairs of protective glasses.
The company has also sent 20,000 single-use face masks to be distributed to communities across local districts of Foshan and Ningbo, in support of China’s response to COVID-19. These supplies were sourced through INEOS networks within the Asia Pacific region.
“Our production plants have been operating in China for many years and have built strong ties with the local authorities where our operations are based”, says Steve Harrington, President Global Styrene Monomer and Asia-Pacific. “In these trying times, we are heartened that our regional networks could be deployed effectively to support the local communities in need.”