Coatings industry supports fight against Corona pandemic

We’ve had a look around how individual players of the coatings industry support the joint efforts to combat the pandemic. There are a lot of examples of uncomplicated support for people and institutions in need of disinfectant or other aids during the Corona crisis.

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), and the European Commission, supports member states and industry in addressing disinfectant shortages, which has become a critical issue.

Active substances shortage

According to ECHA, the main limiting factor seems to be the availability of active substances used in these biocidal products – in particular isopropanol, 1-propanol and ethanol. ECHA is working, together with the Commission, on special arrangements to help member states and companies get more disinfectants on the market as soon as possible.

In an interview conducted with family-owned company Remmers we learned how capacities for the production of disinfectants could be provided at short notice.

But there are many more raw material suppliers and paint manufacturers that offer relief measures.

To name but a few:

Perstorp has started the large-scale production of hand sanitizer and surface disinfectant for the Swedish healthcare sector – at cost price. With a capacity of over 2 million litres a month, the aim is to solve the current lack of disinfectants at a national level.

Allnex established contact with DFG-Bonitas, Germany’s largest outpatient intensive care provider. It was revealed that DFG-Bonitas was urgently looking for 3,600 litres of hand sanitizer per month. As of 1 April the first batch of hand sanitizer (260 kg) was packaged and ready for shipment to DFG-Bonitas.

BASF is providing the state of New Jersey and New York with hand sanitizer manufactured at the company’s facility in Washington, New Jersey free of charge. As part of their “Helping Hands” campaign, BASF is donating 100 million protective masks to the Federal Republic of Germany. The company is also donating 1 million masks to the State of Rhineland-Palatinate.

Clariant supports the German State of Bavaria in the Corona crisis with the production of about two million litres of disinfectant per month. The disinfectant is supplied directly or via partners to regional hospitals and other central facilities in Bavaria.

Among other things, Covestro provides raw materials for the manufacture of products such as medical devices, protective eyewear for medical staff and hospital mattresses. These are distributed to health and care facilities in the vicinity of the plants in numerous countries.

MC-Bauchemie gave the German city of Bottrop an Easter present and donated 500 litres of disinfectant. Mayor Bernd Tischler accepted a pallet of 100 containers of 5 litres of disinfectant each on the company’s premises from the company’s representatives.

Since the beginning of April, the Austrian paint manufacturer Adler has been producing high-quality disinfectant in Schwaz. Several thousand litres have already been filled and delivered. The company donates two tons to nursing homes and social institutions in Schwaz

Also the ICA Group in Italy has started to produce disinfectants. Up to now they have donated over a thousand packs of gel and spray to the hospitals of the Asur Marche Area Vasta 3. More quantities were donated to hospitals in the province of Fermo, to the Green Cross and the Red Cross, to the Civil Protection and to the Municipality, which distribute them to other health facilities in Civitanova Marche.

Asian Paints has committed approx. 420,000 EUR towards Covid-19 Relief Fund. The contribution will be made to the Central as well as other Emergency Relief State funds to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

The paint and coatings manufacturer Mipa fills urgently needed disinfectant on behalf of the Bavarian state government.

The Teknos subsidiary Teknos Feyco in Liechtenstein has decided to make an active contribution to support the supply situation. The company has therefore been producing its own disinfectant and distributing it at cost price to companies and institutions in the region.

The Luxembourg paint manufacturer Peintures Robin also produces hand disinfectants. The company already bought up isopropyl and ethyl alcohol at the beginning of March. The company also needs these for its paint production. Offers were sent to the ministries for small and medium-sized businesses and for health. A large order followed from the Ministry of Health. The daily capacity is 20,000 litres.

The paint manufacturer Hesse Lignal from Hamm, Germany, reacted to the current emergency and is now also producing disinfectants. The city of Hamm manages the quantities of disinfectants and distributes them to public institutions that are in desperate need of them. The family business has already produced the first 1,000 litres and passed them on to the city of Hamm at cost price.

You know of further relief activities? Let us know!

We’re sure there are numerous additional companies supporting the united effort to combat the Corona virus. If you are involved in any such undertakings, or you would like to draw our attention to any of them, please write a comment below this article!

By Kirsten Wrede