Freudenberg, the global technology group, has started producing mouth-nose masks for end-consumers. The masks under the brand name “Collectex” will be available from May 11 in the Vileda online shop and from retail partners of the Freudenberg Home and Cleaning Solutions Business Group – initially only in Germany. 
 

In the past weeks, three Freudenberg Business Groups – Freudenberg Filtration Technologies, Freudenberg Home and Cleaning Solutions and Freudenberg Performance Materials – have combined their expertise in technical nonwovens, filter media and distribution to begin commercially selling face masks.  These efforts initially centered on setting up inhouse mask production in a  short space of time, initially delivering the needed volumes to Freudenberg sites. “Our objective was to fulfill our responsibility to our employees and society. We acted quickly, expanded our capacity and invested in production equipment for the manufacture of mouth-nose masks,” says Dr. Mohsen Sohi, CEO of the Freudenberg Group.  
 

Now available on the Vileda online shop, Freudenberg is limiting sales of the masks to a maximum order of two boxes per online customer to help ensure fair distribution.  
 

Mask production is located in Germany and has been up and running since late April. Freudenberg Home and Cleaning Solutions is selling the masks under the name “Collectex.” In contrast to the now common industrial and privately sewn cotton masks, the Freudenberg masks are made from a high quality, triple-layered filter medium.
 

This filter medium is made from a high-tech nonwoven, which is also manufactured in Germany. The materials are processed into masks in newly acquired production lines launched in phases at Freudenberg Filtration Technologies – a first for the German market. Freudenberg is planning to expand capacity in the next few weeks to eventually allow it to make one million masks per day in four shifts around the clock seven days a week. The technology group will also continue to deliver media for the production of face masks to professional converters and existing customers.  

Currently, efforts are also underway to produce masks in North America for the local market. Japan Vilene Company – a Freudenberg Business Group – has been producing masks for the Asian market, primarily Japan. However, these products are subject to individual countries’ COVID-19 export restrictions.