Coronavirus: Eminence switches from men's underwear to protective masks

From men's underwear to protective masks. Faced with the health emergency, and to compensate for a sudden stoppage of its traditional activity, Eminence is urgently producing 7,000 simple anti-projection masks (not labeled FFP2), in its Aimargues factory, for the firefighters of the Hérault and the caregivers of the Montpellier University Hospital.

“We were asked by the departmental fire and rescue service (Sdis) of Hérault, to make masks in triple thickness of fabric, explains Dominique Seau, CEO of the textile group owned by Delta Galil. Of the 400 employees, 50 are mobilized in Aimargues - the others being on partial unemployment - to cut and make. »

Sewing machines spaced out to avoid contamination

The masks are made with cotton and elastane stored on site which were originally intended for other types of confections. "You have to be ingenious with what you have, because all the supplies are blocked," explains Dominique Seau. The manufacturing process is classic. What took time in the case of Eminence was the development of a prototype with the doctor-colonel of Sdis. "We have no room for error, and we have no skills in health," adds the boss.

The masks, whose production began on Monday, will be reusable after repeated washing. This first order will be delivered at cost price to Sdis de l'Hérault. Advantage, in logistical terms: delivery responsiveness, in an international context of border closures. Other Sdis in the Occitanie region have contacted Eminence.

The company also responded to the national call for tenders from the General Directorate of Equipment, whose daily needs amount to 100,000 masks. Eminence is part of an informal solidarity network that has been set up between professionals in the textile sector, with the support of the Federation of Knitwear, Lingerie and Beachwear and with the Union of Textile Industries. "For example, we are in contact with the Lemalhieu hosiery (Nord), Tuffery jeans (Lozère), our client Le Slip Français or the Sericygne silk factory (Gard)", explains Dominique Seau. To avoid any contamination in the factory, the sewing machines have been spaced 1.2 meters apart, whereas they are usually arranged side by side. Some of the masks will also be used by the workers, and sent to the Biella site (Milan piedmont), currently closed.

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