START OF MASK-ALLIANCE-BAVARIA
With a cooperation of the companies PIA Automation (Amberg), Sandler AG (Schwarzenbach) and Zettl Group (Weng), the "Maskenverbund Bayern” (Mask Alliance Bavaria) today started the production of disposable face masks. The alliance intends to produce a six-figure number of masks daily within a few weeks. “The Corona crisis has shown that for certain protective goods we need a domestic production for crisis prevention. Bavarian companies like PIA, Zettl and Sandler have reacted flexibly in this difficult situation and managed to establish a new supply chain with innovative technology in record time”, explains the Bavarian State Minister of Economic Affairs Hubert Aiwanger.
The cooperation aims to establish a complete supply chain for face masks in Bavaria. Before the corona pandemic, there were no manufacturers of disposable masks in Germany. The Maskenverbund Bayern has set itself the goal of assuming a leading role among Germany's newly established manufacturers of disposable masks.
The company PIA, based in the Upper Palatinate, has recently started building systems that are able to produce masks completely automatically. “Automation is essential for a cost-effective domestic production of protective masks”, explains Armin Schalk, Managing Director of PIA.
Dr. Ulrich Hornfeck, chair of the Sandler AG, emphasizes the commitment of all those involved: “Our gratitude goes out to the committed Sandler team as well as to our cooperation partners and our state politicians.” Sandler produces the nonwoven fabric for the disposable masks.
As Reinhard Zettl, Managing Director of the Zettl Group, announced, the Maskenverbund will develop further solutions for face masks in the coming years: "Our goal is to reposition the domestic production in the marketplace." A few weeks ago, the automotive supplier Zettl partially converted its production to the manufacture of face masks. Going forward they will use machines made by PIA for it.
Wie Reinhard Zettl, Geschäftsführer der Zettl Group, ankündigte, wird der Maskenverbund in den kommenden Jahren weitere Lösungen für Atemschutzmasken entwickeln: „Unser Ziel ist es, die heimische Herstellung neu im Markt zu platzieren.“ Der Automobilzulieferer Zettl hat seine Produktion vor wenigen Wochen zum Teil auf die Herstellung von Atemschutzmasken umgestellt. Dazu setzt er künftig die Automaten von PIA ein.
