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FleeceforEurope joins hands with Oerlikon's to make masks

14 May '20

3 min read

Pic: Oerlikon

FleeceforEurope and Lindenpartner are set to make 50 million protection class FFP1 through FFP3 respiratory masks a month using Oerlikon Nonwoven’s high-end meltblown technology. The Oerlikon Nonwoven meltblown technology is recognised globally as one of the most efficient method for producing highly-separating filter media made from plastic fibres.

In a special, patented process, the fibres laid into a nonwoven fabric during manufacture are subsequently electrostatically-charged, before the material is further processed down-stream.

“Our patented electrostatic charging ensures that even the smallest particles, and therefore also viruses, are drawn in and absorbed by the nonwoven fabric for several hours. As a result of the comparatively loose formation of the fibres, the wearer can nevertheless breathe in and out easily. Nonwoven with pride. We identified the situation early on and have adapted to demand. We started manufacturing in advance at the beginning of the year and can now start reliably delivering and quickly assembling systems and, due to our global Oerlikon Manmade Fibers segment network, we are able to offer the necessary service as well. Currently, the company is receiving inquiries from across the globe, but specifically also from Europe and from Germany itself,” Rainer Straub, managing director of Oerlikon said in a press release.

Those responsible at Oerlikon Nonwoven and FleeceforEurope, which will primarily focus on producing high-end nonwovens, and Lindenpartner, which will manufacture and distribute the protective masks, are certain of one thing: the market for protective masks has a very promising long-term future in Europe. What has been commonplace in Asia for many years now will also become normal in Europe. People will be increasingly wearing face masks when venturing out, in order to better protect themselves against health risks such as the current pandemic and also against increasing environmental pollution in the form of fine particles and exhaust fumes in the future.

“While masks used to cost ten cents to purchase, prices has risen to two euros or more during the coronavirus crisis. However, there is – as in the case of many other industrial and consumer goods – a huge level of dependency on Asia, and China in particular, among Europeans and Americans. In order to become competitive here, the focus will be on state-of-the-art production processes for manufacturing protective masks. At the end of the day, we will be able to manufacture products in Germany at Chinese prices as a result of our automation technology,” Philipp Heymann, CEO of Lindenpartner said.

Mask producer Lindenpartner has already secured supplies of nonwovens and will be producing face masks for the European healthcare sector over the coming weeks. To fight the coronavirus pandemic, Lindenpartner is planning to install 100 self-service face mask vending machines in Germany over the next four weeks, positioning them in publicly-accessible places such as shopping centres and airports, for example. FFP2 masks will initially cost around five euros from vending machines. As soon as Lindenpartner is able to manufacture the masks with its own nonwoven fabrics, prices will fall to approximately 2 to three euros.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (GK)

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FleeceforEurope joins hands with Oerlikon's to make masks

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