Rheinmetall: 6 million masks for the federal government

Rheinmetall supports the German federal government in the Corona crisis by delivering high-quality respiratory protection masks. Thanks to its global network of locations and distribution, the company has managed to tap into supply sources for these urgently needed protective equipment, especially in China. In just a few days, around one million respiratory protection masks (Protection Category FFP-2, CE-certified) from a Chinese manufacturer will be delivered to the responsible procurement authority of the Bundeswehr in Koblenz. Rheinmetall, together with a partner company, is responsible for the complete procurement and transportation logistics as well as quality inspection.

A corresponding contract between Rheinmetall and the Koblenz Federal Office for Equipment, Information Technology and Usage of the Bundeswehr (BAAINBw) has now been signed. The contract includes an option for Rheinmetall to deliver an additional 5 million respiratory protection masks.

The Federal Ministry of Health requested assistance from the Ministry of Defense in early March 2020 to cope with the Corona pandemic. The Koblenz BAAINBw is now working - together with the procurement offices of the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Federal Ministry of the Interior - to provide urgently needed materials to maintain the healthcare system and protect the population.

Rheinmetall sees itself - not only as a leading supplier to the Bundeswehr - responsible for helping in the current situation and making a contribution to close equipment gaps in the medical field.

Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG: "With this, we not only want to counteract the spread of the Corona virus in Germany as much as possible. Our concern is also to protect those who protect us: doctors, medical personnel, and caregivers - and all those who are there for us when we need help. This applies to both the civilian and military sectors."

The masks are used to protect against infection by COVID-19 viruses and other pathogens. They are currently scarce in global markets. Rheinmetall sees the successful availability of a large quantity of these masks as a first step to quickly and unbureaucratically assist the institutions and agencies responsible for healthcare in the current crisis.

Rheinmetall has also identified other areas where short-term support is possible. Some business units of the technology company can produce disinfectants in their high-performance laboratories. At a location in South Africa, maintained by the subsidiary Rheinmetall Denel Munition near Cape Town, around 1,000 liters of disinfectant are now produced daily in cooperation with a civilian partner company, which are urgently needed in the country's medical sector.

Rheinmetall is also considering providing protective clothing and additional respiratory protection masks in large quantities, assembling medical instruments such as ventilators, and exploring other possibilities for support.

Rheinmetall on the Internet: www.rheinmetall.com