In the fight against the Coronavirus we have witnessed heroes emerging from every industry. Our latest in the list of corporate heroes is Krishna Maruti which is essentially a company set up as a joint venture between Maruti Suzuki and Mr. Ashok Kapur and are in the seat making business.
Taking their technical know-how and expertise, the company jumped into action to provide the front-line warriors in the fight against COVID-19 by manufacturing triple-ply masks which have also been certified by SITRA lab in Coimbatore to ensure that they provide maximum protection to those who wear them.
With mass production up at 50,000 units a day, Krishna Maruti has recently donated 1 million such masks to the Haryana Government for the police, healthcare workers and administration staff to use as they operate in hazardous conditions.
Speaking on the initiative, Mr. Ashok Kapur, Chairman, Krishna Group said “It is a time of national crisis and this is our duty to the nation. We have committed 1 million masks each to Haryana and Gujarat Governments. I am also planning to import some machines and produce N-95 masks. All important safety and physical distancing guidelines have been observed while manufacturing these masks to ensure the safety of all the staff.”
It was in March 2020 that the Haryana Government approached Maruti Suzuki for help and requested if the company’s facilities could be used to produce protective gear such as masks. Maruti Suzuki committed to the task, despite a few hurdles in the way as the test specifications were not known. Despite that, the company has a vast amount of knowledge when it comes to textiles as vehicles use all sorts of materials and this was a boon in allowing them to achieve the SITRA certification. Elaborating on this, Mr. Kenichi Ayukawa, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “We had committed to support the Government with protection gear and masks even though the test specifications and process technology were not known. My message to all our teams was – some doctor, some nurse will be depending upon our product, so please give top priority to quality and performance testing. Mr. Kapur and his team have been successful.”
While India continues to battle the coronavirus and are committed to flattening the curve, it is the work and dedication of each one of us to do our bit in this fight. While companies such as Krishna Maruti can contribute in a big way, you too can do your part by staying at home and maintaining a distance from others as our frontline health workers and support system do their best to make our country safe. Stay safe, stay home and do remember to cheer for all those who played a role and stepped up to help in this fight against COVID-19.