VSM personal masks prove popular

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a huge run on personal face masks. New orders were practically impossible and delivery dates were postponed until May at the earliest. To meet this growing demand, a team of employees organised by Rena Benthin (Consultant Health and Social Affairs) and Mike Kowalik (Director of Further Processing) decided to look for an interim solution.

The team discovered that the kind of pre-washed cotton fabric typically used for the manufacture of industrial abrasives was ideal for making personal face masks. Every day, several hundred cotton 'blanks' were produced, which a team of volunteers then sewed into washable personal face masks.

Production attracts attention from far and wide
Things really took off after the masks were featured in an article in the Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung (HAZ) and on local TV. We were contacted by a lot of sewing hobbyists who wanted to offer their help. As a result, several thousand masks were cut to shape, sewed and distributed in just a few weeks. We'd like to thank all of our mask tailors and seamstresses for their fantastic support!

Masks in widespread use in and around Hanover
Nor were the masks only distributed to staff working at VSM AG. Many organisations based in and around Hanover also received a batch of VSM personal masks. These include:

• Abelmann Pharmacy in the Timon Shopping Centre
• Die Johanniter [Order of St John charity]
• Vinnhorst Volunteer Fire Service
• Dr Damerow and Susanne Knuhr Medical Practice
• Hainholz Primary School
• Vinnhorst Primary School
• Langenhagen Grammar School
• Hannöversche Tafeln [soup kitchen]
• Hainholz Church Community
• IGS Linden [school]
• Kulturtreff Hainholz [community centre]
• Neues Land e.V. Addiction Counselling
• Malteser Kältebus Hannover [rough sleeping charity]
• Pro School [child/youth welfare organisation]
• Wunstorf School
• Vinnhorst Care Services
• Werk-statt-Schule e.V. [privately-run education/training]
• Werner von Siemens Secondary School