Carmakers among firms to help with making medical items
09 April, 2020
As masks, sanitizer and other items continue being in short supply amid the spread of the new coronavirus, members of other industries are becoming increasingly involved in production.
Furthermore to applying their own technology and facilities to the manufacture of such items, companies are providing their know-how to greatly help others increase production.
Sharp Corp. has begun manufacturing masks at its liquid-crystal panel factory in Mie Prefecture. Given the high capacity for its clean rooms to exclude dust, it was deemed simple to apply the factory to that purpose.
“This is an operation we are able to continue over the future,” Sharp Chairman and President J.W. Tai said in a note to employees on April 1, indicating his plan to prioritize these efforts for some time.
Yamamoto Corp., which handles material for swimsuits, has developed masks using material for wetsuits and begun sales.
Similar activities are occurring overseas. In the United States, Nissan Motor Co. and Honda Motor Co. are employing 3D printers normally applied to such purposes as the manufacture of experimental parts, to instead produce face shields to safeguard medical staff from infection.
Toyota’s local entity in america is supporting such efforts as distribution and parts production. The business has reached an agreement to support two manufacturers of ventilators, and in addition has established a channel by which manufacturers of medical equipment and others can seek advice from with each other.
Shiseido Japan Co. and Suntory Holdings Ltd. have started making sanitizer in Europe and america, and so are providing it free to local medical institutions.
Source: the-japan-news.com
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