Nonwovens / Technical Textiles

2020-12-10

Milestone in the Bavarian Mask Association: FFP2 certification for masks made from Sandler nonwovens

Row back from left to right: Peter Dreier (District Administrator Landshut); Robert Kiermeier (Mayor Weng); Prof. Dr. Dr. Franz-Xaver Reichl (LMU); Armin Schalk (GF Pia Automation GmbH); Lukas Zettl (GF Zettl Group); Dr. Ulrich Hornfeck (Chairman Sandler AG); Front row from left to right: Matthias Zettl (GF Zettl Group); Hubert Aiwanger (Deputy Minister President, Bavarian Minister of Economic Affairs); Reinhard Zettl (GF Zettl Group); Jörg-Timm Kilisch (GF DEKRA); Thorsten Glauber (Bavarian Minister of State for the Environment and Consumer Protection) (c) Sandler / Zettl Alexey Testov
The Masken-Verbund Bayern, which was launched in May 2020, for the first time has established a complete value chain for the production of respiratory protection masks in Germany. The latest development of the Verbund has now received certification as an FFP2 protective mask. Production will start in December at association member Zettl Group in Weng.

Since the beginning of the cooperation the founding members of the Bavarian Mask Network - PIA Automation (automation specialist from Amberg), Sandler Group (manufacturer of high-tech nonwovens from Schwarzenbach/Saale) and Zettl Group (leader in the field of automotive interiors) had been working towards producing in their own country certified FFP2 masks, which can protect the wearer himself from infection, in addition to mouth-nose protection masks.

On December 3, the certificate was ceremoniously handed over at the Zettl Group's company site in Weng, Landshut County, by Jörg-Timm Kilisch, Managing Director of DEKRA Testing and Certification GmbH. Hubert Aiwanger, Deputy Minister President and Minister of Economic Affairs of the Free State of Bavaria, and Thorsten Glauber, Bavarian State Minister for the Environment and Consumer Protection, were also on site in person. The Bavarian Ministry of Consumer Protection has a special role to play in the course of the pandemic, as it is home to the Central Office of the Federal States for Safety Technology (Zentralstelle der Länder für Sicherheitstechnik, ZLS) under its umbrella and is thus responsible, among other things, for the approval of safety equipment such as protective masks across the federal states. Both ministers expressed their congratulations and appreciation to the attending managing directors and board members of the founding members, as well as representatives of the new association partners Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München and Bayern Innovativ GmbH.


FFP2 or FFP3 masks are particularly recommended as personal protective equipment for healthcare workers who are exposed to an increased risk of infection in the course of their work. The quality of the filter medium used, the mask design, the fit and the available filter surface are decisive for the classification of the product. As a result of joint development work and close cooperation with the new association member DEKRA, the certification process was successfully completed at the end of October.

Up to 6 million of the "Futurus" masks will now come off the production line per month on the fully automated manufacturing facilities in Weng. An expansion of production capacity to up to 10 million masks per month is already being planned. 

The Bavarian Mask Association is thus expanding its contribution to securing the supply of these important medical products.




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