Lear Corp.,a global automotive technology leader in Seating and E-Systems, announced that it has manufactured and distributed more than 4 million face masks from its Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, facility since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lear installed mask-making equipment at the facility in 2020, in response to the COVID-19 crisis, with capacity available to make 600,000 units per week. From Pine Grove, Lear has distributed masks to distributors, schools, hospitals, civic departments, non-profits and company employees.

Given the aims of the recent Executive Order on Sustainable Public Health Supply Chain to build long-term capability in the United States to manufacture medical supplies for health care crises, the Pine Grove facility continues to be ready to supply domestic customers with locally made face masks. 

“We continue to make available our manufacturing and technology resources to help address this health care crisis,” said Ray Scott, Lear president and CEO. “It’s important that we work together to help protect our communities, families and coworkers, and keep businesses operating.”

Using innovative cloth and fabric solutions from Lear’s Guilford Performance Textiles business, employees at the Pine Grove facility completed training to operate the mask-making machines and practice health protocols from Lear’s Safe Work Playbook to safely operate during the pandemic. 

For their efforts, the plant was honored with Lear’s 2020 CEO Special Appreciation Award, the company’s highest award given to the plant or team that went above and beyond their day-to-day responsibilities to make a difference.

“The quick and safe implementation of face mask production capabilities at Pine Grove was made possible by the global Lear team’s procurement and engineering work and support from our union partners and the local government,” Scott said.