PUPC Press Release, 9^th of April 2020

10, 000 face shields per day for Polish hospitals! PUPC starts the production.

Companies associated in Polish Union of Plastics Converters actively participate in the fight against the global pandemic. Responding to the social demand, they are finishing to work on the mass production of plastic face shields. According to the plan, next week the companies will be able to produce  10,000 shields per day. Medical services can count on a delivery for free.

Plastics converters took up the challenge to reduce the lack of face shields observed on the market. Currently 3D printers can produce only 3-4 shields per day. With the right forms and injection technology, the quantities can radically change and go into thousands of pieces. The companies associated in PUPC declared production at the level of 10,000 per day.

I assume that from the next week, PUPC members will be able to provide the market with up to 10,000 pieces of such specialized shields per day. These products will be ready for use as intended by medical staff, but also policemen, firefighters or security personnel. I know, from conversations with manufacturers, that representatives of the medical industry take part in consultations while constructing appropriate forms. Doctors are also consulted so that the product meets their expectations to the maximum extent and ensures safety said Robert Szyman, PUPC's Director General.

Manufacturers are not indifferent to the difficult financial situation of healthcare services in Poland. They say that  those medical units who are in need will be able to count on free delivery. This is a continuation of the help that PUPC members provide to hospitals completely free of charge. They already transferred a total of over 45,000 plastic products, such as cups, cutlery, bags and foil for medical curtains. Currently, the list of hospitals is being created, where shields and curtains will go first.

Today, plastics are gaining importance due to their protecting and confining characteristics. They are able to block contact with microorganisms, including coronavirus. This is particularly important in the case of food that is produced with the highest hygienic and microbiological standards and then closed in plastic packaging. That guarantees safety, and at the same time extends the use-by date of the product, reducing food waste.

Additional information is provided by Maciej Powroźnik and Robert Szyman.