St Engineering domestic surgical mask line finally up and running

[StreetFight3r]

SINGAPORE — Since mid-February 2020, engineering firm Singapore Technologies (ST) Engineering has begun domestic production of medical-grade surgical masks and the masks are now being tried and fitted at Singapore's hospitals that are in the frontline fight against Covid-19. 

In an online interview with the media on Wednesday (May 6), Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing said that Singapore had to restart its domestic production capabilities when one of its foreign suppliers could not fulfil its contractual obligations recently to produce surgical masks. 

He did not specify the name of the foreign supplier. 

There used to be manufacturers here that produced surgical masks but that stopped more than 10 years ago. 

For now, ST Engineering’s production facility in Singapore will solely focus on supplying medical-grade surgical masks for the frontline healthcare workers at hospitals here tackling the Covid-19 pandemic. It has been making N95 masks in Singapore since 2015.

As for future plans, Mr Gareth Tang, senior vice-president of technology at ST Engineering Innosparks, said in the same online interview via Zoom video conferencing platform that the company may consider manufacturing surgical masks for commercial purposes after the pandemic is over. 

The general public’s need for masks will be met through the distribution of reusable masks or through the commercial market, where companies such as supermarkets and pharmacies may bring in their own supplies of masks and sell to residents here. 

Many companies here have also started setting up their own mask-making facilities to help in the nationwide fight against the coronavirus, Mr Chan said. 

One example is gaming company Razer, which has a fully automated manufacturing line that can produce up to five million face masks a month.

The production of masks by other companies other than ST Engineering may not meet the medical-grade standards to be included in the national stockpile, and so could be used to sell in the market to the general public instead. 

When there was a worldwide shortage of surgical masks at the initial stages of the Covid-19 outbreak, Mr Chan said that Singapore started making contingency plans such as switching to alternative sources of suppliers and restarting domestic production. 

However, even with production lines being set up here, he said that the common challenge is still the need to secure the raw materials. 

“It’s not just simply about having the machines to produce the masks and the manpower, but also to secure a sustainable supply of raw materials,” he said.

For example, he explained that each of the three layers making up a surgical mask are made from raw materials that come from different supply chains and the authorities have to make sure that each one is sustainable. 

Mr Tang said that it was very challenging to set up ST Engineering’s production facility because they had to do it in “record time” from the beginning of the outbreak in Singapore from end-January to mid-February. 

Another challenge was due to the disruptions in supply chains across the world as countries go into lockdown to curb the spread of the virus. 

Mr Chan declined to reveal the production capacity of the facility or the volume of masks that Singapore requires to prevent any potential disruption to supplies. 

When asked about the time needed to produce enough masks to fully cater to the needs of healthcare workers, Mr Chan did not want to reveal that as well, except to say that the Government is “confident” in meeting their needs “for quite some time”. 

“We have arrived at a reasonable point where we are quite confident that we can take care of our medical workers in Singapore.”

When TODAY asked about talk in the past few months that Taiwan’s export ban on masks affected Singapore’s supply, Mr Chan declined to comment. 

Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/made-in-Singapore-surgical-masks-given-frontline-healthcare-workers-covid-19-chan-chun-sing

 

Watch before the mask comparison video by Straits Times and the national stockpile mask is the only one thta passed the absorbant test. That I think is also the mask Kee Qiu gave to us in Feb, the 4 masks? Brand is ASSURE. ASSURE is also manufactured in SG? Anyone know who is the manufacturer? https://www.yms.com.sg/brands/assure-disposable-face-mask-3ply/

Does it also mean Razer produced masks will not be going into the national stockpile since Kee qiu seem to suggest it does not fit the medical grade standard needed for healthcare workers. nyway well done sg.. Always better to be self sufficient and not be overly dependent on other countries. Late but better than never. Now the tricky part is the raw materials..

[Zxcvb]

Wow! Chan no mention of Razor masks?No give face to Tan Min Liang?

[StreetFight3r]

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=114481346905468&id=109201290766807

AVS Technologies Pte Ltd debuts healthcare product line with WellM face mask, manufactured in Singapore with trust and value.

Price: $26.75 per box (50pcs per box) 

We are currently taking pre orders. 
Order yours today at [email protected]

Besides Razer also spotted another local mask manufacturer stepping up to the game.. For the rest of us commoners needing just a regular masks for daily usage we might as well support local mask manufacturers instead of buying from overseas sources. Not related to the company just sharing what I saw.. Not sure abt the grade/quality of the mask.. 

if an overseas mask will cost me $25 to $40,, I will gladly buy from local manufacturers just to support the local market even if its more pricey or the same price.. 

Edited May 7, 2020 by StreetFight3r

[StreetFight3r]

6 minutes ago, Zxcvb said:

Wow! Chan no mention of Razor masks?No give face to Tan Min Liang?

He got mention I bold it.. But dunno is it suggesting razer masks not going into national stockpile? 

[Cheesey74]

Sarpork... buy local 💪!

[Kklim]

1 hour ago, Zxcvb said:

Wow! Chan no mention of Razor masks?No give face to Tan Min Liang?

Maybe coz they chose to IPO in HK

[Windwaver]

It's really about time Singaporeans get use to being more socially responsible.

Even until today (coming to 3 decades), I have the habit of wearing a mask if I'm down with flu or cough, no matter how minor it is.

I have new colleagues that ask me why I wear mask in office but when I tell them I'm being responsible they have no problems with it.

 

[Ash2017]

funny thing is all these while many officials including myself keep saying that it keeps bacteria out.

 

I myself is abit confused? Is Coronavirus a virus or a bacteria pretending to be a virus?

 

If mask is more of a placebo agent to remind citizens for proper social distancing, then why not deliver mask by post. Gathering people at CC and RC including vending machines contradicts social distancing practice especially already there are few who got prosecuted.

 

If home made mask as many ministers have made and donated to residents are so good and effective as claimed, why my colleagues waste money on getting all those expensive mask from ST Eng?

 

I really need to ask for a meeting to get to the bottom of this.

 

 

[StreetFight3r]

 

[Wt_know]

finally we dont have to bow to “country” that ban export ... 

so much of “survival” that ah gong always said about food but never think of mask and medical supplies

Edited May 7, 2020 by Wt_know

[inlinesix]

3 minutes ago, Wt_know said:

finally we dont have to bow to “country” that ban export ... 

so much of “survival” that ah gong always said about food but never think of mask and medical supplies

Most of our mask are imported from PRC.

That country was never big exporter till now

Don't push fault to other ppl when it is our lack of foresight.

Edited May 7, 2020 by inlinesix

[Ash2017]

29 minutes ago, StreetFight3r said:

 

I sometimes admire myself. Enough said. Thank you.

[Picnic06-Biante15]

Finally a "Made In Singapore" mask solely for Singaporean .... 

[Wt_know]

43 minutes ago, inlinesix said:

Most of our mask are imported from PRC.

That country was never big exporter till now

Don't push fault to other ppl when it is our lack of foresight.

lack of foreskin ok but not lack of foresight 

[Ct3833]

1 hour ago, Wt_know said:

finally we dont have to bow to “country” that ban export ... 

so much of “survival” that ah gong always said about food but never think of mask and medical supplies

 i have said it much earlier in Feb that mask has to be an essential item in the new bio warfare strategy, just like bomb shelter, water, rice and other essential items.  Finally our government realises the importance of it. 

[Hamburger]

sheep and goat all eaten by wolf then come and build the fence. Too late.

[Hamburger]

1 hour ago, StreetFight3r said:

 

anything to do with mask he must say something, is it?

 

Diam lah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[noobcarbuyer]

All along we have a local 3M Factory at Tuas making 3M N95 9210 masks (and other respirators) for export. 

Just that S'pore rightfully did not ban any exports of masks and fulfilled all global orders.