Tire plant in Waterville helps N.S. grow its stockpile of surgical masks

Update: The story has been updated to reflect that the masks donated by Michelin have been sourced through a third party and are not being sown by the company.

As the coronavirus pandemic continues, the Michelin plant in Waterville, N.S., said they have put their skills with sewing machines to a new use, instead of sewing components as part of the tire-making process.

In April, they started stitching hospital scrubs for Valley Regional Hospital and other hospitals in the Annapolis Valley, South Shore and South West Nova Scotia.

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The company has donated 100 pairs of personal protective equipment (PPE) to the province’s Valley Regional Hospital Association,

That donation is separate from an initiative that will assist the Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA), helping to grow the provincial stockpile of surgical masks by 75,000.

The masks were not created by Michelin but were secured through a third-party supplier.

The company will donate an additional 50,000 masks in the coming weeks.

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According to NSHA, Michelin North America is donating 700,000 masks and other PPE to hospitals, medical facilities and essential businesses with a critical need for these supplies.

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“Michelin is pleased to be able to play a role in the province’s COVID-19 response efforts,” says Andrew Mutch, President, Michelin North America (Canada) Inc.

“Working with the province and Nova Scotia Health Authority, we can help ensure that front-line workers in all of our communities have access to the protective equipment they need.”

NSHA said a portion of the donated masks will be sent for staff at long-term care facilities across Nova Scotia.

The remainder will help keep frontline staff safe while they provide care to patients.