The German Federal government has has  provided funding to help Innovatec, based in Troisdorf, add 1500 tons of nonwovens to its annual production. The new capacity will supply materials to make 1.5 billion face masks. Federal minister of Economics Peter Altmaier presented the funding to the company.

Innovatec has invested in two new production lines for the manufacture of meltblown nonwovens, which are both German-made. “We are very proud to have been involved in this project from the very beginning and to be able to actively support such an important nonwoven producer as Innovatec with our meltblown technology, explains Rainer Straub, head of Oerlikon Nonwovens, a supplier of one of the meltblown lines.

“We want to significantly expand production capacities for protective equipment in Germany and thus effectively reduce our dependence on imports,” Altmaier says. “Our long-term goal to cover the entire value chain—from machines to filter fleece and protective masks.”

The Germany government will also partially support the investment of lines to produce up to seven billion protective masks.