On February 24, China Petrochemical Corporation (hereinafter referred to as “Sinopec”) decided to set up 10 melt-blown nonwoven fabric production lines to cover the shortage of masks, as part of its virus-containment efforts.
Sinopec will invest around RMB200 million in the construction of melt-blown and spunbonded nonwoven fabrics at Sinopec Beijing Yanshan Petrochemical and Sinopec Yizheng Chemical Fiber. Two production lines of melt-blown nonwoven fabric and three production lines of spunbonded nonwoven fabric will be set up at Sinopec Beijing Yanshan, expected to produce four tons of fabric per day that can be made into 1.2 million pieces of N95 respirators or six tons of fabric per day that can be made into 6 million pieces of surgical masks. Apart from that, Sinopec Beijing Yanshan is expected to manufacture 42 tons of spunbonded nonwoven fabric. The melt-blown production lines may start up by March 8. 
Sinopec Yizheng Chemical Fiber will set up eight melt-blown fabric production lines, expected to produce eight tons of fabric per day that can be made into 2.4 million pieces of N95 respirators or 12 tons of fabric per day that can be made into 12 million pieces of of surgical masks. These production lines will become operational in mid-April.