Honeywell is adding to its capabilities for producing personal protective equipment (PPE), including N95 masks, with a new production line added to its Phoenix engine campus. Earlier, Honeywell unveiled plans to add production capability for N95 masks at its Smithfield, Rhode Island plant.
At the engine campus, Honeywell will continue production of turbine engines and auxiliary power units. The company was able to make room for the PPE production by clearing out storage space, according to a spokesman. In combination with the Smithfield plant, Honeywell will be able to manufacture more than 20 million disposable N95 masks, which are being sent to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
To meet the demand for masks, Honeywell plans to hire workers to fill 500 new jobs in Arizona, in addition to the 500 new positions in Rhode Island. These jobs are in addition to existing work being done in these facilities, the spokesman told AIN. “We’re bringing in about 200 pieces of new machinery to produce the masks,” he added. Honeywell has also added to its PPE production capabilities in other facilities outside the U.S.
“We have moved quickly to expand our production capacity for N95 masks globally and are pleased to announce our second new U.S. manufacturing line to supply the Strategic National Stockpile,” said Honeywell chairman and CEO Darius Adamczyk.