Workers sew pieces of cloth to make face masks at a factory in Ajman, UAE. (File photo: Reuters)
Coronavirus: UAE’s first local mask manufacturer can produce 90,000 masks daily
The UAE’s first respirator manufacturing facility can produce 90,000 N95 masks daily to help keep frontline workers safe from the deadly coronavirus, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported on Saturday.
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The facility, which was established in May in Al Ain, has already secured orders until the end of the year, said Ismail Ali Abdulla, CEO of Strata Manufacturing under Mubadala Investment Company, the Abu Dhabi-based sovereign investor.
“To date, we have already supplied N95 masks to those on the UAE’s frontline, including healthcare workers and emergency response personnel, and have further orders until the end of the year from other UAE entities,” Abdulla told WAM.
The facility was set up to minimize the need for masks to be imported from outside the region, he added.
“The facility is capable of producing 90,000 units per day and we are committed to fulfilling the country’s needs and have a goal of being able to produce quantities that will support international countries,” he said.
“Through local production, we are able to have a considerable impact on reducing previous costs incurred through importing N95 masks such as shipping, other logistical costs, warehouse storage, transport and tariff charges.”
The N95 mask is the most efficient type of face mask to protect against COVID-19, according to a new study published in journal ACS Nano, by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
The company’s main priority is to meet local demand and support the government’s efforts, according to WAM.
However, if there is high international demand for masks, the company may consider producing additional quantities to support the global effort, Abdullah added.
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