All-out efforts from city mask companies

Ti Gong

Mask manufacturers on Shanghai's outskirts are in full swing to produce facial masks that can protect against the current coronavirus outbreak.

Several major mask factories, mainly in the city's Fengxian and Songjiang districts, can produce about 600,000 masks a day to cap the demand in Wuhan, in central China's Hubei Province, the hardest-hit region, as well as local citizens.

However, they face challenges such as shortages of labor during the Spring Festival holiday and raw materials.

Wu Shengrong, board chairman of Shanghai Dasheng Sanitation Products Co in Songjiang, has been working on the mask assembly line in his factory since January 25.

The company's senior supervisors and managers, along with drivers, chefs, cleaners and supervisors, are working round the clock on the production line along with Wu and some 20 remaining workers.

Most other workers had gone home for family reunions and had yet to come home due to the outbreak.

Thanks to the automated production line, the company can still make 80,000 N95 facial masks and other medical masks a day, but Wu said many staff had been exhausted after working for several days.

The company has canceled supplies to some overseas clients to ensure domestic supplies, Wu said. Most clients said they understood the situation but others had asked for compensation.

At another mask company in Songjiang, a township government has helped organize some 30 volunteers from the government, industrial parks, incubators and urban management teams. Relatives of some volunteers have also joined the manufacturing force to ensure production volume.

With the help of the volunteers, the company can produce about 500,000 masks every day, nearly half its full capacity, said Wang Lihua, deputy general manager with the company.

Ji Lei, a Chedun Town official, has been transporting masks since January 26. He begins work at 8:30am every day till late at night.

"I feel no tiredness and just want to ensure the supplies to those in need," Ji said.

Ti Gong

Four mask manufacturers in Songjiang have produced nearly 9 million of masks in a week. Production capacity is expected to be further enhanced, according to the district government.

In the city's southern Fengxian District, a major mask manufacturer has been working round the clock to produce around 45,000 a day since January 24.

The company in Qingcun Town makes masks for Honeywell and 3M as well as its own brand. The KN95 mask it produces can filter up to 95 percent of particles and has been listed as effective against the virus.

All the masks it produces have been under a unified government allocation to stabilize market price and ensure supplies to medical care personnel and others in need, said Liao Huolin, the company’s board chairman.

Over 30 workers, including many recalled from their Spring Festival holiday and nearby villagers, are working overtime to ensure production. The company had received a total order of 5 million masks during the outbreak, said Liao.

Meng Lindong, a newly married team leader at the Fengxian company, said goodbye to his bride and came back to work from his hometown in neighboring Jiangsu Province on January 25, first day of the Chinese New Year.

"My wife fully understands my decision and just asked me to take care," Meng said.

His colleague Li Meng, a technician at the company, left his newly born child in his hometown in southwest Yunnan Province to get back to work. "I would like to spend a long time with my baby, but I must come back to help fight against the epidemic," Li said.

The supply of masks to local pharmacies is assured, said Liu Min, deputy director of the local commerce commission.

In recent days, nearly 10 million masks, 205,000 bottles of disinfectant and 84,000 bottles of liquid soap have been put on the shelves of pharmacies, grocery stores and supermarkets.

With the city’s 17 mask plants all in operation, they will be able to make up to 4 million masks a day, according to the commission.