DoD invests in N95 mask production
The US Department of Defense (DoD) will invest more than $132 million in masks as part of the Defense Production Act Title 3 COVID-19 Project.
This investment will increase the production of N95 masks by more than 39 million units over the next 90 days.
Work is divided between 3M ($76 million), Honeywell ($27.4 million) and O&M Halyward ($29 million).
3M will supply health authorities with 78 million units over the next six months, by converting a current equipment supplier into an N95 production line, and it will also increase meltblown material production.
Honeywell, meanwhile, is to supply 38 million units between April and October 2020, with 12 million units every subsequent month. This will allow the company to meet demand within 10 months instead of 13.
The DoD will procure 25 million N95 units from O&M Halyward over the same period and the company will make 12.5 million after October 2020. O&M Halyward is installing an additional five N95 machines at its facilities in Del Rio, Texas and it is expanding meltblown material production at its Lexington, North Carolina plant.
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