DuPont Ramps Up Tyvek Production During Coronavirus Pandemic
March 26, 2020
DuPont’s Spruance plant in Richmond, Virginia is working to ramp up production of Tyvek protective material to shield those on the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak.
DuPont is ramping up production of its Tyvek protective material for use in garments worn by first responders and health care professionals on the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak, according to an article from The Richmond Times-Dispatch. Due largely to the pandemic, Tyvek production has reportedly increased about 20% this year. Tyvek is a water- and microbial-resistant material also used as a “housewrap” for buildings, in protective gear for industrial workers and in health care for sterile packaging.
The demand for Tyvek surged earlier this year in China where the outbreak originated, according to the article. While demand there has lessened, it has since spiked in other countries. DuPont reportedly made production capacity upgrades after the Ebola virus crisis in 2014 and 2015, and now has the capacity to make Tyvek material for about 200 million protective garments a year.
