For Mercedes it is forward with masks on

Mercedes-Benz South Africa Limited (MBSA) has announced that it will assist in the fight against the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic in the Eastern Cape by manufacturing a supply of personal protective equipment in the form of 3D-printed recyclable plastic face shields for use in mass screening, clinics and hospitals.

In addition, and pending quality assurance regulatory approval, MBSA will also manufacture and supply continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) breathing aid devices from its East London Manufacturing Plant for the Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Health.

The MBSA East London Manufacturing Plant re-opened under Alert Level Four restrictions on May 4 in accordance to stringent occupational health and safety risk management systems and protocols and will use its capacity to manufacture face shields and CPAP devices, which deliver oxygen to the lungs without needing a ventilator.

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The CPAP breathing aid devices have been used extensively in hospitals in countries hardest hit by Covid-19 to assist patients with serious respiratory problems to breathe more easily, when oxygen via a face mask alone has proven insufficient. CPAP devices are non-invasive breathing aid devices, which provide a constant, steady pressure to keep the lungs expanded.

It is anticipated that the CPAP devices provided by MBSA will also assist with reducing the burden on public health facilities based in the Eastern Cape that are expected to experience a surge in coronavirus patients.

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During the non-production period of the lockdown, MBSA explored the feasibility of developing CPAP devices for manufacture. With this decision, MBSA follows the example of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team based in the UK by preparing its machines, which under normal circumstances would produce automobile components, to develop these breathing aids.

Pending regulatory approval from local medical licencing authorities, MBSA will manufacture CPAP breathing devices from its manufacturing plant. Once approved, MBSA anticipates that it will be able to manufacture more than 1 000 face shields and CPAP devices per month.