Packaging company Tacca Industries has signed a six-month supply agreement with Detmold Group to localise manufacture of a critical surgical mask material at its New South Wales facility. With this deal, Detmold is localising its supply chain for the raw materials to manufacture personal protective equipment in Australia.
Tacca is tooling up to begin production of the meltblown polypropylene layer for medical masks. The layer prevents microscopic particles from passing between patients and medical professionals.
With Tacca producing the material in Australia, Detmold Medical has a reliable and secure source for the raw material.
Tacca CEO Clem Tacca said the project is a boost to Australia.
“Detmold Medical can now work with Tacca Medical to produce the key ingredient for medical masks that is very scarce around the world, unpredictable in its delivery schedules, and subject to unstable pricing. The partnership between Detmold Medical and Tacca Medical consolidates and ensures the supply of the raw material within Australia without relying on any overseas suppliers. This in turn, not only ensures the protection of our frontline workers, but also establishes the opportunity for more jobs and the commitment to meet Australian standards, which recent media reports suggest may be an issue from some overseas suppliers,” Tacca said.
“This partnership will also boost the opportunity for both Australian companies to be key players in overseas PPE markets. This is a win for Australia and Australian workers.”
Detmold Group CEO Alf Ianniello said securing a domestic supply of what has quickly become a scarce and sought-after raw material is vital to ensuring that Detmold Medical can deliver on its contracts to produce 145 million medical masks for SA Health and the Australian government.
“We have secured initial material to meet production requirements, but localising the supply is important in ensuring the welfare of our frontline health workers and promoting capacity of our mask manufacturing facility. We will be making more than 20 million masks per month for the remainder of the year, and that requires a robust supply chain,” Ianniello said.
“The collaboration of government and industry has enabled us to quickly establish a manufacturing footprint in Australia, supported by a local supply chain. Localising the meltblown PP production will promote availability of locally manufactured medical masks.”
