When COVID-19 struck in Ontario and there was a shortage of Personal Protective Equipment, (PPE), many companies looked at ways in which they could help through re-tooling existing facilities.
Martinrea International was one of those companies. As part of the automotive supply sector, Martinrea headquartered in Vaughan, Ontario and with 57 facilities and 17,000 employees worldwide, is a company focused on providing solutions to curb vehicle weight, while at the same time improving a vehicle’s overall strength, safety and efficiency and is considered a leader in the development and production of quality metal parts.
Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford met with Martinrea and Magna International executives and discussed using their facilities and staff to produce the much-anticipated need for medical equipment such as ventilators and masks.
Martinrea with 400 people on the local production line and with its flexible manufacturing capability, was able to quickly turn to making masks and ventilators.
On Saturday, August 15th, Armando Pagliari, Executive Vice President of Human Resources, who recently purchased property in Southampton, presented 1,000 of the masks to Saugeen Memorial Hospital. “Now, that I have a home here in Southampton, I want to help the hospital as I know how important it is to the community.”
Deputy Mayor Don Matheson, who is a Southampton neighbour of Pagliari’s, arranged for the donation to the Hospital.
Pagliari, who sits on the Board of Prime Care in Milton along with 17 doctors, says that the company purchased a mammoth machine that was shipped from Europe enabling the company to make 47,000 masks per day.
“The masks will certainly be put to good use by patients and visitors who come into the hospital,” says Donna Chappelle, Manager Grey Bruce Health Services │Southampton
