In just 12 days, two days ahead of schedule, Sinopec Corp. put its first melt-blown non-woven fabric assembly line into operation at its Yanshan factory in Beijing on March 6. The Yanshan factory is a converted 39,000-square-foot former warehouse that has found new life as a global production base following the challenges brought by the COVID-19 outbreak.
The 14,400-ton capacity Yanshan facility is one of the energy and chemical company’s two melt-blown non-woven fabric assembly bases and is co-managed with China National Machinery Industry Corporation. The base has two non-woven production lines and three spunbond production lines and can produce up to four tons of melt-blown fabric for 1.2 million N95 disposable masks, or six tons for 6 million disposable masks per day.
The new facility also takes advantage of Sinopec’s integrated upstream supply-chain by sourcing local materials from Yanshan and support from the on-site synthetic resin production line.
“It normally takes about half a year to complete the construction of a 10,000-ton melt-blown fabric factory — we have done it in 12 days, 48 hours ahead of schedule,” said Lv Dapeng, Spokesperson of Sinopec Corp. “In a challenging time like this, saving 48 hours means that we can produce an extra 12 million disposable masks.”
The largest medical material supplier in China, Sinopec is a significant supplier of polypropylene, a key component in the production of disposable masks for medical use. The new assembly line will ensure a stable supply of medical supplies, such as masks and clothing, can be distributed across the nation and worldwide.
“We are privileged to support those who are protecting us from the virus. Sinopec will utilize all of our resources to ensure supplies to the frontline are guaranteed,” said Lv.
Sinopec’s other eight melt-blown non-woven fabric production lines in Yizheng, Jiangsu are currently under construction and are expected to enter operation by mid-April.
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