Diversified technology company 3M launched its 10 000 m2 manufacturing plant, with its new disposable respirator line that produces 22 respirators a minute, in Kempton Park, Johannesburg, earlier this month.

3M Middle East and Africa area VP Irfan Malik said at the launch that the com- pany mainly targeted the mining sector to supply the respirators to.

“South Africa and the surrounding countries are a prime position for the com- pany to [locate] its manufacturing facility, as there are significant opportunities in the mining and oil and gas sectors for these disposable respirators. 3M plays a key role and leverages the product advantages in these sectors to provide world-class personal safety,” Malik said.

The company expects to run the new respirator line for 24 hours five days a week and also plans to introduce two more lines in the future. Previously, 3M imported respirators from Europe, the UK and the US.

Malik added that the plant, which employs 97 people, was the basis for much bigger developments, which the company was confident would take place in South Africa.

3M manufacturing manager Werner van Deventer stated that, to prepare for the launch of the plant in South Africa, the company first had to consolidate its outsourced operations, establish a team and link the plant to the company’s strategy, after which a structure had to be implemented to get the right people on the team. He added that there were more projects to come.

Malik added that the long-term objective of 3M’s safety division was to be the preferred supplier of all personal safety products to industries.

“There is a huge focus on the safety of the entire body of workers, and health and safety is a large segment in which we operate. We can [supply a large number of products into] this segment because we are known as a company that does not compromise on the standards and quality of products,” he stated.

3M’s disposable respirators are certified by European standards organisations and are also Proudly South African.