CHINA BRIEF | EV maker BYD’s daily output of face masks reaches 10 million units
Shenzhen-based electric vehicle (EV) maker BYD has been able to produce 10 million face masks each day since last week, Shanghai Securities News reported Monday, citing the company’s chairman Wang Chuanfu.
Wang made the remark during an online launch event held for the company’s new battery, adding that it took him and his colleagues more than ten days in January to build BYD’s first mask production line from design, to manufacturing and mass production.
Part of these masks can be acquired online through the WeChat mini programs of local pharmacies in Shenzen.
BYD is among a slew of Chinese companies that have come to help to meet China’s demand for masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 2,957 Chinese enterprises who previously did not produce face masks, including electronics manufacturer Foxconn, and energy giant Sinopec, have also set up production lines to fill the supply gap.
Gree Electric, the world’s largest residential aircon maker, has been selling self-produced masks below the market price, as a “public service” and not profiting from it, according to the firm’s chairman Dong Mingzhu. The company can produce up to 2 million masks daily and limits sales to one box per user per day.
Gaming gadget maker Razer has also adapted some of its manufacturing facilities to produce surgical masks. The firm plans to donate a million masks to health authorities around the world. Foxconn launched a mask production line last month, while smartphone makers Xiaomi and Oppo are also reportedly pumping out masks.
This article is part of KrASIA’s “China Brief” section, where KrASIA’s reporters will provide quick daily updates about the tech ecosystem in China.