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Some countries have created new production capacity and supply is expected to continue to increase as governments encourage firms to shift production and companies see new business opportunities.
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No country can meet the increased demand for face masks alone. International trade and investment along the global value chain for face masks is an essential part of the policy response to the COVID-19 crisis in the short term. Trade and global production have an important role in addressing the current shortage
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However, while some entrepreneurs are investing in creating new capacity for the future, most supply increases during the crisis have come through conversion of existing production lines. Manufacturers of machinery for mask assembly lines – found, for example, in The People’s Republic of China (hereafter “China”), Chinese Taipei, France, Germany, Turkey, and the United States – have seen an increase in demand, as have manufacturers of testing machines (testing is important to guarantee the safety of masks). Most of the potential new manufacturers are currently held back by the shortage in PP non-woven fabric. Based on the number of companies in different countries that were able to convert their production lines, it seems that the assembly stage is less of a bottleneck. Some manufacturers buy the non-woven fabric and just weld the layers (in particular, those manufacturers who switched to mask production during the crisis). For this reason, it has been more difficult to increase supply during the crisis, or to find companies that can switch to this production within a reasonable time and without massive investment.Īs ultrasonic welding is used in a variety of industries (including, for example, the automotive industry), the rest of the value chain is more accessible, although specialised machines are still needed at the assembly stage. However, PP electret melt-blown non-woven is a specialised fabric, produced by a limited number of companies globally due to the high initial investment required in heavy machinery, such as hoppers, extruders and melt spinning systems. Manufacture of PP non-woven fabric is also quite widespread, as it is used in baby diapers, feminine hygiene products, and disposable wipes, as well as in the automotive and construction industries. Polypropylene (PP) is one of the most commonly produced plastics in the world and, as a polymer derived from oil, can be easily supplied (although dependent on oil prices and access to oil). Source: OECD, based on information provided by manufacturers.