A global supply shortage of surgical masks is one of the many problems faced by the general population and businesses worldwide in the wake of the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, and Samsung is doing its part to improve the situation. The company is lending its expertise to mask manufacturers in South Korea who can’t keep up with demand and has dispatched experts to assist three domestic mask manufacturers in speeding up the process.

Over the past three days, Samsung’s manufacturing experts have assisted E&W, Evergreen, and Lastek to improve on-site manufacturing processes and establish smart factories by setting up new equipment.

The company has also helped manufacturers speed up their production by creating a mold. It can take more than a month for this vital component to be imported from overseas, but Samsung was able to produce one in 7 days. The production output was increased from 40,000 masks per day to 100,000.

Samsung donates over a quarter-million masks

In addition to improving the manufacturing process of surgical masks in South Korea to combat coronavirus, Samsung has also donated roughly 280,000 masks in Canada, Colombia, China, and Hong Kong. 50,000 masks were donated to one of its semiconductor customers in China.

Over the past couple of weeks, the company took various measures to protect its employees from coronavirus and urged them to work from home whenever possible. It temporarily shut down countless Experience Stores in various markets to protect its workforce as well as its customers.

Samsung Vietnam donated 267,000 masks to its employees, including those who work at its smartphone manufacturing plant. Meanwhile, the company donated around 5,000 masks to schools located in the Thai Nguyen province.