3M have been preparing for increased demand of protective gear since late January, after news of a new virus that was rapidly spreading in China.

N95 respirator masks made by 3M, Honeywell, Medicom and few other companies, are scarce and vital for the safety of doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel during a pandemic. The N95 respirator when worn properly blocks at least 95% of airborne particles from entering the wearer’s mouth and nose, while still allowing respiration through the microscopically porous shell.

3M can’t save the day on its own, but it’s promising a remarkably large contribution because this 118-year-old Minnesota manufacturing giant has been preparing for this moment for almost two decades.

After the SARS epidemic in 2002-03, the company realized it wasn’t fully equipped to handle unexpected explosions of demand in the event of a crisis, or what it calls an “X factor.” To be prepared for urgent future increases in demand, it decided to build surge capacity into its respirator factories around the world. In January of this year, recognizing this need, 3M shifted to “surge capacity.” Idle machinery installed for precisely this purpose would be activated, and many of the plant’s 650 employees would immediately start working overtime.

Additionally, 3M sources the materials for its respirators near its assembly plants and serves customers reasonably close by, as a result for its day to day activities, a plant doesn’t rely on distant vendors subject to tariffs or export bans.

Read the full article here (bloomberg.com – 25^th March 2020)

Image: Masked City by michael_swan - CC BY-ND 2.0