Honeywell has announced the company will build a new production line capable of producing up to 4.5 million FFP2 and FFP3 disposable face masks per month at its Newhouse site in Scotland, United Kingdom, the company reported on Friday.
"Our Newhouse facility has both the physical capacity and technical capabilities to launch a large-scale respirator production line in such a short timeframe. We are proud of our teams who are bringing new manufacturing capabilities to the United Kingdom as quickly as possible to support the country's response to the pandemic," said Will Lange, president of Honeywell's personal protective equipment business.
The masks will assist the U.K. government's response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The U.K. government has ordered 70 million of the locally produced Honeywell SuperOne face masks, with production expected to start as early as July.
The masks will be distributed by the Department of Health and Social Care to the U.K.'s National Health Service (NHS) and social care settings to protect frontline workers. The new mask production line is expected to create approximately 450 jobs at Honeywell's Newhouse site.
"As a global leader of high quality personal protective equipment, Honeywell is committed to getting safety gear to those who need it most, including workers on the front line of the fight against COVID-19," added Lange.
With the order, Honeywell’s U.K. production facility will mark the third new face mask production line that the company has announced in the last two months. Honeywell started two new manufacturing lines in the United States for the North American market.
Honeywell's Newhouse plant will specialize in electronic systems assembly and testing and other advanced manufacturing capabilities for several of Honeywell's business groups and will continue to do so alongside the new face mask line.
"This deal is brilliant news for the whole United Kingdom, which will not only deliver the masks we need but create around 450 jobs in Newhouse, Scotland. I'm delighted to team up with Honeywell to open up another avenue to get millions of masks to the frontline and strengthen our ongoing response to the outbreak," said Matt Hancock, Health Secretary, U.K. government.
Honeywell has started manufacturing N95 masks in a facility in Smithfield, R.I., to help the Department of Health and Human Services support safety, health and emergency response personnel amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The company said that it has also incorporated manufacturing capabilities into its Phoenix-based facility to begin mask production in May. Honeywell noted the two facilities will yield over 20 million masks combined every month once they achieve full operational capacity.
About Honeywell
Honeywell is a Fortune 100 technology company that delivers industry-specific solutions that include aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings and industry; and performance materials globally. Our technologies help aircraft, buildings, manufacturing plants, supply chains, and workers become more connected to make our world smarter, safer, and more sustainable.
