Mask production in Taiwan is expected to nearly triple by the end of this month to meet demand generated by COVID-19, a manufacturer said on Friday.
Government recruitment has increased the number of mask manufacturers, with daily production expected to increase from 3.2 million masks per day when COVID-19 was revealed at the end of last year to 10 million masks per day by the end of this month, Changhua County-based medical products manufacturer Motex Healthcare Corp said.
“Manufacturers are working with the government to contain COVID-19, but once its spread slows, the demand for masks will slow, too, and there will be cut-throat competition,” Motex spokesperson Hsu Chih-yuan (徐誌遠) said.
Photo: Chen Kuan-pei, Taipei Times
Motex, like other companies, is raising production at the government’s request, he said, adding that it has 11 machines producing 300,000 masks per day and plans to add three more machines.
It would not normally raise production to meet short-term demand, but the masks are easy to produce and only NT$3 apiece, he said.
People have the misconception that companies are cashing in on the outbreak, but there is little money to be made, as the government is controlling everything in the manufacturing process, he said.
People only have a few options when buying a mask — such as surgical masks, dust masks, industrial masks and respirators — but masks are likely to become more comfortable, closer fitting and more effective, Hsu added.
Companies such as Motex keep production local, because they recognize the importance of having a local source for something as important as masks, he said.
Taiwan is a nation of innovators, but lacks resources, he said, adding that once the COVID-19 outbreak passes, manufacturers can produce quality masks for China, where the market is bigger and the resources greater.
Hsu praised the government’s vigorous response to COVID-19, saying that NT$200 million (US$6.7 million) was invested into mask production, administrative procedures were expedited and military personnel were offered as additional labor for mask production.
“The government is also working with manufacturers to ensure an uninterrupted supply of non-woven fabric,” he said.
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