Medicom to open new plant to produce critical meltblown polypropylene filter raw material for masks. The company will also establish a collaborative PPE R&D centre.
A Quebec-based manufacturer of surgical and respiratory masks, Medicom Group Inc., has announced a new manufacturing subsidiary, Meltech Innovation Canada Inc., dedicated to the production and innovation of the inner filter material used in the manufacture of surgical, pediatric and N95-type respiratory masks.
Meltech Innovation Canada will be located in the greater Montreal area and will create at least 21 new jobs and 16 new co-op positions for university students.
The Government of Canada has committed to investing up to $28.99 million through the Strategic Innovation Fund to help stand up this capability for Canada.
“Our top priority is protecting the safety and security of Canadians. We are investing to ensure we can produce critical PPE here in Canada. Today’s investment in Meltech is an important step toward improving Canada’s resilience and pandemic preparedness,” stated the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. “This investment will ensure that Canadian frontline healthcare workers continue to have a reliable supply of the critical PPE they need, while creating good jobs here in Montreal.”
“This is a great day for medical autonomy in Quebec and Canada. Establishing this new plant that will produce the raw material required for surgical and respiratory masks will help to ensure that Canada never again experiences the PPE shortages we did in March 2020 when the global supply chain was under extreme strain. Thanks to this partnership with the Government of Canada, Meltech will initially produce the filter material needed to manufacture the equivalent of tens of millions masks right here in Canada, with more capacity planned,” stated Ronald Reuben, CEO and founder of Medicom.
Connected to this plant, Medicom will establish a new research and development center to drive innovation in personal protective equipment (PPE).
“The new PPE R&D centre, based in Quebec, will be unique in Canada. Combining our own expertise developed over the past thirty years in Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia with various industrial and academic partners, we are aiming to become a world leader in medical innovation.” said Guillaume Laverdure, Chief Operating Officer of Medicom,” highlighted Guillaume Laverdure, COO of Medicom.
