DuPont Response to Coronavirus (COVID-19) Prevention and Control
DuPont is closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic as it continues to spread across the world, and taking steps to keep our employees, customers and communities informed.
At a time of unprecedented human need, DuPont scientists, engineers, and countless employees are working together to deliver solutions to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
The focus has been two-fold, with workers ramping up production to meet demand for essential products and technologies, but also leveraging our science and capabilities in new ways to bring critical supplies where they’re most severely needed. From personal protective equipment to essential ingredients helping other companies keep their supply chains moving, here are just some examples of what we’re doing to help, right now:
Personal Protective Equipment
DuPont Safety has vast experience protecting people during natural disasters and health crises. Today, we're working tirelessly to help those directly impacted by the coronavirus, including first responders on the front lines.
Thousands of employees are working around the clock in all parts of the world to increase capacity of protective garments. We've increased capacity in our manufacturing plants to produce over 9 million garments per month, going directly to COVID-19 response needs. Partnering with world governments and other organizations, we're continuously finding new ways to deliver this essential PPE where it's most severely needed.
#TyvekTogether
In these unprecedented times, it's vital we come together to help our heroes get the PPE they need to stay protected.
To meet the growing need for critical protection and supplies in the fight against COVID-19, we’re increasing capacity of Tyvek® protective fabric and working with our partners to get it to the front lines quickly.
Hand Sanitizer Production
Across DuPont, business and functional teams have banded together to answer the call for something they’ve never before produced, packaged or distributed: hand sanitizer.
When our manufacturing site in Bomlitz, Germany received an inquiry from local county officials to provide hand sanitizer for hospitals and other institutions, colleagues from our Nutrition & Biosciences, Electronics & Imaging, and Science & Innovation teams answered the call. Within just 10 days, using recipes provided by the World Health Organization (WHO), the site utilized its pilot plant to develop a process for large-scale production of hand sanitizer, to support area hospitals and communities there.
With this proven method, the team quickly ramped up production at multiple sites in the U.S. and Canada. To date, DuPont has donated approximately 1,500 gallons to local nonprofit organizations and government agencies, including hospitals and local emergency management services.
N95 Face Mask Collaboration
Excessive demand continues for highly coveted N95 masks, with manufacturers in need of critical materials to create more PPE. DuPont and Cummins Inc. partnered to use filtration technology to supply the critical need for masks.
Typically, DuPont Water Solutions' Hybrid Membrane Technology (HMT) is integrated with Cummins’ synthetic fibers to protect sensitive engine components, but it can also be used in the N95 respirator masks worn by healthcare professionals to filter harmful airborne particles that can spread COVID-19. Under an initiative by the University of Minnesota, Cummins donated the material to be assembled by the university. The first masks featuring the filter technology are being used as part of a project to supply masks to Minnesota’s M Health Fairview network.
“We thank our partner Cummins for transitioning the use of its production line to help address the global shortage of N95 mask materials. By working together and innovating new applications of existing technologies and materials, we hope to slow the spread of this terrible virus.”
HP Nanda, Global Vice President & General Manager, DuPont Water Solutions
Materials for Ventilators and other Critical Healthcare Equipment
DuPont sites in the US are playing a vital role to support increased demand for ventilators, respiratory masks, and other essential healthcare needs.
Pressed into action by the US Defense Production Act, many ventilator OEMs are answering the call for increased production. Each ventilator requires a supply of 700 parts to assemble, including critical printed circuit boards. Our Electronics & Imaging Interconnect Solutions business is ramping up production of its Pyralux®, Riston®, and Metallization materials to required for printed circuit board production to meet this demand.
The Healthcare Industries Materials Site (HIMS) in Hemlock, MI falls under exemptions established by the United States Department of Homeland Security for essential businesses and industries - and continues to supply customers with medical grade silicones to enable the manufacturing of products including respiratory masks, hand sanitizers and silicone tubing to process medicines and vaccines.
A shortage of N95 masks has forced some frontline response workers to reuse or self-sanitize respirators. The Tyvek® medical packaging team is helping resolve this, partnering with our converting partners to expedite manufacturing medical pouches for use in new, FDA-approved decontamination technology.
“It's inspiring to all of us that the materials we make are helping address essential needs to support people’s health and well-being around the world. Our committed employees are working hard to ramp up production of vital electronic materials to support the manufacture of printed circuit boards that go into life-saving medical equipment .”
Avi Avula, Vice President & General Manager, DuPont Electronics & Imaging
3D Printed Face Shields
In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, a team in the US used 3D printing technology to produce face shields for health care workers.
Technology teams at the DuPont Experimental Station in Wilmington, DE & Troy, MI used 3D printing to print face shields for health care workers. Utilizing DuPont™ Zytel® filament, the first batch of 80 face shields have been approved by a local Wilmington hospital and delivered in partnership with the Nemours Foundation, with more on the way.
From funding non-profits meeting immediate needs in local communities around the world, to volunteering when conditions are safe, both corporate and employee outreach efforts are further helping support the fight to protect and save lives in all the ways we can.
Consistent with our core values and keeping the health and safety of our employees as our highest priority, we’ll continue to harness the passion of our employees, our networks of partners and customers – and above all, our science – to find solutions that will help solve some of the most urgent needs to prevent and control the spread of the COVID-19 virus.