Automaker SAIC-GM-Wuling rolls out first self-made face masks

SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile Co.,Ltd. (SGMW), a joint venture formed by General Motors and two Chinese partners, announced on Feb. 13 its first batch of home-made face masks has rolled off the production line.

“It took us only three days to roll out the first masks from putting forward this idea,” said the automaker.

SGMW claimed on Feb. 6 via social media it would team up with its suppliers to produce masks, one of urgently needed medical supplies for fighting against novel coronavirus, by refitting its existing assembly lines. According to its plan, a dust-free workshop that contains 14 mask production lines is set to be completed and start operation this month. Of those, 4 lines are for N95 masks and the other 10 are for general medical masks. The daily capacity may total over 1.7 million units then.

This offering is expected to cope with the media supply shortage in Guangxi, according to the automaker.

Automakers are pitching in to alleviate the nationwide lack of media gear amid the health crisis by expanding beyond their core businesses. Asides from SGMW, BYD and GAC Group have launched similar initiatives as well.

BYD stated on Feb. 8 it was working on designing and manufacturing the facilities for the production of masks and disinfectants, which was expected to begin around Feb. 17. By the end of Feb., the respective output capacity of masks and disinfectants can reach 5 million units and 50,000 bottles per day.

（Photo source: GAC Group's WeChat account)

At the same time, the Guangzhou-based automaker GAC Group claimed it was hammering out a plan to construct equipment available for the production of masks and had dispatched some employees for a 15-day training to grasp technologies and processes about the facility building as soon as possible.

The project will be carried out by GAC Group's auto parts business unit and won't affect the production of complete vehicles.