CMPC will distribute free masks in Chile and Brazil

Through Softys, two machines were purchased for the manufacture of these products so necessary in the Coronavirus emergency. Each machine will produce 1 million 500 thousand masks per month, which will be delivered to public health services in both countries and to employees of the company who work in plants and forestry tasks.

In order to ensure a local, timely, safe and quality supply that will work together to reduce the risks of viral disease contagion, especially Coronavirus, Empresas CMPC – through Softys, our subsidiary of hygiene and personal care products – purchased two automated manufacturing machines of surgical masks, which will be installed in the plants located in Puente Alto in Santiago, Chile, and in Caieiras, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Each machine reaches a production capacity of 1 million 500 thousand masks per month and will be transported to their respective destinations by air, in order to speed up the process and start the production of masks within about 30 more days.

These masks will be distributed completely free of charge through the public health services of both countries, and CMPC will only reserve a few masks necessary for the use and care of its own collaborators and neighboring communities.

CMPC is totally aware about the global and local contingency by COVID-19. That is why, as a company we have taken different measures and have generated various actions that allow us to take care of our workers, our neighbors and also to continue with the manufacture of our products that today are so necessary for people.

Protecting the health of our workers and neighbors

The continuity of our operations is of utmost importance, since the products we manufacture – such as cellulose, tissue products, cardboard, wood, among others – are key to the elaboration of articles that are so necessary for society today, such as masks, diapers, toilet paper, food or medicine packaging, etc.

The company has deployed progressive internal management protocols since February to ensure full compliance with the recommendations of health authorities worldwide and locally. These protocols have been regularly updated.

In fact, preventively, we are taking steps to operate with as few people as possible, aware that minimizing the risk of exposure and contagion requires avoiding as much contact as possible between people.

The care and protection measures for the entire CMPC team, in all the countries where we operate, include the implementation of a home office for administrative personnel -a measure that has been carried out since March 16 and which has had very good results-, adequacy of operational shifts to minimize contact within our plants and implementation of protocols for cleaning, food and transport services.

Among the measures that have been taken in each plant are intense and permanent tasks of sanitation, control that conglomerations are avoided in public spaces, distance demarcations have been established to avoid physical contact between collaborators, an increase in the number of buses so that less people congregate within them, among others. New measures are constantly being analyzed to be incorporated and thus decrease the risk of contagion from the virus.

Without the daily work of all the collaborators who continue to work in the factories – under all the safety and hygiene measures imposed by the protocols – it would not be possible to continue the operations to maintain the productive chain at the service of society. To them, thank you very much!

Additionally, we have taken other precautionary measures that help minimize opportunities for contact with the virus. Domestic and international travel have been cancelled, privileging virtual meetings, either by phone or videoconference. Event attendance has also been suspended until further notice.

On the other hand, continuing with CMPC’s commitment to its neighbors, the company will take sanitary measures in the Chilean communes of Puente Alto (Metropolitan region), Nacimiento, Laja, Los Angeles and Mulchén (Biobío region) and Villa Mininco (La Araucanía region), such as disinfection in public spaces, entrances of health centers, entrances of the plants of the company, and in the busiest streets.

In addition, CMPC committed to the Biobío Intendency its former corporate building in the city of Los Angeles, so that it can be used as a field hospital for sick people without major complications, and thus help decongest the health centers of the Biobío province and allow more space and equipment for those who need to be hospitalized because they are infected with coronavirus. This place will have available 200 beds.

To keep the company’s employees informed, CMPC’s CEO, Francisco Ruiz-Tagle, has conducted Dialogues via videoconference, accompanied by Dr. Carlos Pérez, dean of the Faculty of Medicine of the San Sebastian University, and specialist in infectious diseases, with collaborators of the plants in Osorno and Til-Til of Corrugados; Sack Kraft Chillán; Boxboard Maule and Valdivia (Biopackaging); Santa Fe, Laja, Pacífico, Plywood and Guaiba (Cellulose). This initiative will be repeated with workers from other plants.

In addition, from the Dialogues, the CEO visited CMPC Cellulose plants in southern Chile (Pacífico, Santa Fe and Plywood) to personally that the safety and hygiene measures are being complied, as well as he had some time to talk to the workers and to answer to their doubts or concerns.

The company remains very attentive to the evolution and impact of Coronavirus in the different markets where it operates, in order to generate the measures that allow to face this situation quickly and responsibly.