The Woodbridge Group normally manufactures automotive parts such as load floors, foam seating and headliners, but has adjusted its production lines to address the ongoing COVID-19 situation. The factory is part of an initiative from the Ontario provincial government to produce PPE within the province, including millions of masks. They were designed in conjunction with researchers from McMaster University’s faculty of engineering.
The masks produced at Woodbridge have been accredited at ASTM Level 3, making them fit for work in hospitals and other front-line settings. Alison Fox-Robichauld, a director at Hamilton Health Sciences, helped test the masks to make sure they were comfortable and easy to breathe in, commenting that:
“As the worldwide demand for face masks increases, it is essential that the masks provided to health professionals and others at highest risk are of the highest standard."
Masks are also increasingly frequently used among the general public, leading to some health authorities looking to promote proper wearing and hygiene through tools like poster printing, brochure printing and online outreach.
The first load of 1000 masks was officially shipped on April 7. Woodbridge, which operates facilities throughout the Vaughan area and Kitchener, has said that it has the capability to make a million masks a week once fully operational.