Wide-ranging help in the fight against the coronavirus

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the whole world has been compelled to change its way of thinking – and to do so at an unprecedented pace and on a scale never envisioned before. Particularly at the start of the pandemic, there were bottlenecks in many areas: protective masks were in short supply, large parts of the global economy had been put on the back burner, and in some places public transportation even stopped carrying passengers. Commitment, flexibility, and resourcefulness were key to maintaining medical care and some semblance of normality in this situation.

Our tubing is saving sick people in the crisis region

Having been shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, our northern Italian location in Daverio, for example, restarted production in order to produce tubing that is urgently required for the medical sector in Lombardy. “In so doing, we are supporting the medical sector,” explains Marco Tamborini, who is responsible for Italian tubing production.

Our tubing transports air and medical gases in ventilators, for example. The client is Flow-meter, a company based in Bergamo. Bergamo was strongly impacted by the corona pandemic. “We have received many expressions of gratitude from hospitals,” reports Flow-meter CEO Roberto Paratico. “It would be impossible to achieve a continuous supply if it wasn't for reliable partners.”

Antibacterial covers for hospital beds delivered in record time

Hanover was not hit as badly as Bergamo. Nevertheless, there was a sudden call for quick action here as well: The crisis team in Lower Saxony needed 50 transport beds and PACU stretchers urgently to create a makeshift hospital on the exhibition grounds. Fortunately, we were able to deliver the required covers in no time at all. As a result, our customer, the Bielefeld-based company K.H. Dewert, was able to supply the beds after just eight days.

To speed up the construction, volunteers and public companies have tackled the same as the Bundeswehr (German Army). “We are delighted that we have also been able to contribute,” explains Bruno Lehmann, who is responsible for our upholstery fabrics and furniture foils.

Bruno Lehmann is responsible for interior surfaces in the residential and commercial sectors at Continental: "We are so glad to have been able to assist so quickly and thus make a contribution to the security of medical care."

The synthetic upholstery fabric skai Pandoria Plus, which we produce in Weißbach, was developed specifically for the medical sector. Its surface prevents bacteria and other micro-organisms from multiplying. It is also particularly resistant to disinfectants. As a result, the coronavirus is eliminated through regular surface disinfection.

Urgently required face protection made of transparent plastic

Our Winchester location also reacted with lightning speed: To combat the spread of COVID-19, our colleagues there are producing face protection made of transparent plastic under the strictest hygienic protection conditions - more than 6,000 units a day. The material is normally used in the production of convertible windows, boat and ship roofs and canopies.

Once the workforce was provided, donations were made to local firefighters, first aid, the police and local health facilities. Production capacity is now expanded in order to ensure the supply of other hospitals and organizations.

Mutual assistance and solidarity has many faces during a pandemic - and we shall continue to make our contribution.

Plastic partition shield as infection protection in cars

Face masks are not the only product in the fight against the coronavirus to have come out of our Winchester facility. Particularly during the pandemic, many people switched from public bus and rail back to private transport – the car was back in vogue. The innovative idea for protecting drivers and passengers in cars from the coronavirus: transparent plastic film. That’s why our colleagues built a protective shield that is easily mounted between the driver’s seat and back seat with adjustable belts and just a few simple steps. It can be used in any vehicle type and makes it more difficult for viruses to spread via the aerosols in the air in the car interior. Although passengers are separated from each another by the protective shield, the partition impedes neither the communication between passengers nor the air conditioning setting in the vehicle's interior. 

“The passenger transportation sector in particular is now benefiting from our new development. This protective wall can increase safety for commercial taxis as well as private Uber drivers or other rideshares," explains sales manager John Duncan. Continental distributes these shields directly to end customers in the United States via Amazon.