More companies shifting into mask production

Textile companies, vehicle makers and even chemical refiners are among those working to meet China's booming demand for face masks.

China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation said it has helped connect raw material suppliers such as cloth providers with face mask manufacturers and is helping to put manufacturing facilities into place. It hopes to achieve daily production capacity of 600,000 units by the end of the month. 

Domestic diaper producer DaddyBaby Co said its production site in Fujian Province has set up a children's mask production line and is prioritizing local schools instead of selling through retail channels. 

More than 130 workers have resumed production since late January and it eyes daily capacity of at least 2 million units by the end of February. 

Shanghai Electric Group Co Ltd is providing high-speed automatic mask production facilities to local textile producer Sanqiang Group Co for an estimate daily output volume of 100,000 surgical masks. 

SGMW, a joint venture between SAIC Motor Corporation, Liuzhou Wuling Motors Co and General Motors China, has worked with suppliers in Liuzhou to convert production lines for the manufacturing of face masks. It expects to set up 14 manufacturing lines with daily capacity of 1.7 million units by the end of this month.

BYD said one of its subsidiaries has also filed for a production license for sterilizers and face masks and intends to reach daily capacity of 50,000 bottles of disinfectants and 5 million masks.