3M relies on the help of ENGIE Deutschland for respiratory mask production

Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the demand for respiratory masks has skyrocketed around the world; demand remains particularly high in the medical and nursing sectors. The US-American multi-technology group 3M ramped up its production of filtering FFP2 and FFP3 masks within a very short period of time already at the beginning of the Corona crisis in 2020 and is working hard to further expand its annual production output worldwide. In order to be able to deliver more quickly in the European Union, the company has been striving to expand its Hilden site in Germany since 2020 – relying on the expertise of ENGIE Deutschland.

High levels of expertise at Design & bBuild

Within just nine months, the experts for technology, energy and service planned and realized the entire building and building equipment for a state-of-the-art high-volume system for the fully automated production of respiratory masks, including an upstream production of 3M blown micro fiber filter fleece. Due to the great complexity of the construction project, the team proceeded according to the "Design &Build" model. "We are proud that we were able to support 3M with our experience and expertise in plant construction to increase their production output ofy respiratry masks in Germany and Europe quickly and reliably," says Heinz-Josef Lentzen, project manager and head of the ENGIE Germany branch in Aachen. " Working together, we' re doing our part to help protect against the Covid 19 pandemic."

More than 3,500 m² for the production of respiratory masks

For the new production facility, the specialists from ENGIE Deutschland first gutted the existing production hall from two building sections. These were connected to an area of more than 3,500 m² and structurally reinforced. Since then, a built-in technology level made of around 100 tons of steel has provided additional space for the necessary process technology and ancillary units.

Optimal air and cooling supply guaranteed

In order to guarantee an optimal air supply, the ENGIE team gutted and refurbished the existing ventilation center in the next step: Two highly energy-efficient  ventilation and air-conditioning units, each with an air output of 40,500 cubic meters per hour, now generate nearly clean-room quality in production. Variable volume flow controllers control the air volume and the pressure conditions in the personnel and material locks and in the production hall. The supply air is introduced in the production with a textile hybrid air distribution system, and the air conditioning is carried out as a low-pulse system in the cooling case and as a high-pulse system in the heating case. An efficient compressed air supply and a modern compressed air network were also installed for the production plant. In addition, two water-cooled QUANTUM refrigeration machines from the subsidiary ENGIE Refrigeration, each with a cooling capacity of 557 kilowatts, ensure ideal temperatures and a reliable cold water supply. "For sensitive applications such as the production of respiratory masks, particularly stringent requirements must be met in the planning and construction. At ENGIE Deutschland, we have extensive know-how in special and special technologies such as clean room technology – and have implemented this project to the full satisfaction of our customer 3M," says Heinz-Josef Lentzen.

The testing of the new production plant began in January 2021. The construction project wascompleted in April 2021.