Wednesday, March 17, 2021
Some great news for you: we have helped set up a local face mask manufacturer in Melbourne, creating more local jobs. Our team proudly uses these masks and we show how you can support Australian-made disposable face masks from Vicare.
Pneuvay project-managed the building of the mask manufacturing facility including:
The production facility is a great success and can produce up to 10,000 masks per hour.
The face mask production facility had to be set up in a factory already being utilised for industrial manufacturing and warehousing. The challenge was to maximise the usage of the floor area for the face mask-making facility without disrupting the already-operating factory’s production activities.
The manufacturer’s drawings and manuals made it an easy task to assemble the production machinery assembled and get it operational. Paul Malcolm, General Manager of Sales & Engineering, said, however, that “with all the production activity around us, installing the clean room and fitting the machinery together was not straightforward.”
The clean room required specialised flooring and the installation of a bespoke industry dust collector system. All up, the construction of the face mask production facility took three months.
Completed Melbourne face mask manufacturer facility
Pneuvay is proud to have helped Vicare with the construction of its face mask production facility in Melbourne. We fully support their efforts to help facilitate the import replacement of disposable face masks by manufacturing them here.
They have already started making for general use disposable face masks and are ideal for the industrial sector. They have, however, big plans, and are in the final stages of being certified to sell masks to the Australian medical sector.
This newly-established business has successfully opened with three full-time and five casual local jobs. Vicare has opened with eight new positions over in Tullamarine. There are seven people in Production: two supervisors and one in Sales. Vicare has more good news, as they are expected to expand their workforce as its production grows, creating even more local jobs.
We are so delighted with this determined local manufacturer that we use their disposable face masks for our general use while we go about our work in the factory and offsite.
Lily, who works in sales at Vicare, gave us a special deal, saying she was happy for us to share it around with our clients and associates.
Glenn Cook, Technical Sales and Service Manager noted, 'We are spreading the word about Vicare as much as we can. The more masks they can sell, the more local jobs. It's great to find other 'Australian Made' products to use instead of an import. "
Proud to support disposable face masks made in Melbourne and share the of special deal from Lily
You can help support local manufacturers and the jobs they provide by getting your disposable 3-ply face masks from Vicare.
Ideal for general use, they are made from soft non-woven polypropylene fabric with an hydrophobic outer layer and elastic ear loops. The masks are well sized at 17.5 cm wide and 9.5 cm tall.
Support Australian-made disposable face masks
Vicare was envisioned in August 2020, in the midst of the global impact of the pandemic, to help address the critical supply shortage of disposable face masks for many Australians.
Our government had reported quality issues with some imported products. It signalled Australia's reliability on these imports needed to change, and that some level of import replacement to help protect the frontline health workers should be developed.
Vicare hopes to play a small part in removing the reliance on imports and help back some manufacturing jobs to the country.
Vicare has a clear focus on import replacement in the Australian market. It is here for the long haul and determined to succeed. They have worked to a careful plan where it would progress its development in a clear two key stages:
Even though it will be able to fulfil the needs arising from the pandemic, its goal is to supply well beyond it. Vicare plans to service the following groups:
Vicare will soon be making masks to the Australian Standard AS4381:2015 and be certified by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). These are known as Class Two and three masks. It also plans to expand from face masks and supply other disposable personal protective products, such as:
Vicare plans to join the “Australian Made” campaign so it can proudly use the official "Made in Australia" logo.
Vicare in operation at its face masks manufacturing facility in Melbourne
Get social with us and see the latest news items from:
Pipe and Tube Compression Couplings
Industrial Dust Collectors Systems
Dust Collectors Filters, Cartridges and Bags
