Specialty chemical company Sika AG (Baar, Switzerland; www.sika.com) has commenced production of respiratory masks in France. In addition to hand sanitizer, which is being manufactured at over 15 Sika national subsidiaries since March 2020, safety masks are now being produced for employees, customers, and other interested parties. Production capacity stands at around 15,000 masks per day.
Pivoting from construction chemicals, Sika is now producing woven face masks in France (Source: Sika)
At the Les Salles du Gardon factory in southern France, Sika has commenced the production of respiratory masks made almost entirely from Sika products. Nearly 50,000 masks have already been produced and orders placed for over 165,000 more. The masks incorporate polyester-based protective layers normally inserted between base and membrane in roof waterproofing as well as silicone-based sealants used for glazing and jointing in construction facilities.
Not only do Sika technologies meet standards for construction applications, they have also been tested and approved by the French authorities for compliance with hygiene regulations in the battle against Covid-19. The face masks are now available for employees and, in particular, for customers.
“We find ourselves in an exceptional situation that confronts us with new challenges on an almost daily basis, especially in those countries worst hit by coronavirus. Our top priority is to protect our employees, their families, and our customers – which also includes finding unconventional ways of helping them. As a specialty chemicals company, we are using our high-performance products to manufacture the masks and thus endeavoring, in tandem with our employees and customers, to make a contribution to combating Covid-19.” Ivo Schädler, EMEA Regional Manager
Sika has already manufactured over 35,000 liters of hand sanitizer at 15 national subsidiaries worldwide. Given the shortages and delays in procurement, the company was granted the relevant approval after consultation with the local authorities. Aside from Sika employees, sanitizer has also been supplied to various hospitals, blood donor centers, retirement homes, and care facilities that contacted Sika due to bottlenecks.