REPORTAGE
Most cases of the new 2019-nCoV coronavirus are in Wuhan, the epicenter of the epidemic that has been raging in China for several weeks. Since Monday, the city's brand new hospital has been welcoming the first infected patients. A ten-day flash construction for this establishment, in which a company from Villeneuve d'Ascq took part, mandated by the Chinese government. AFPRO-Filters, that is its name, specializes in the manufacture of filters for medical premises. The company has risen to the challenge thanks to its production plant located south of Beijing.
4000 pieces manufactured in an emergency
"These are all the filters we have installed, which are being delivered to the Wuhan site," said Romain Bassani, general manager of the company. These are the same filters that equip major hospitals in France. 4,000 parts were urgently manufactured at the request of the Chinese authorities, to keep pace with the high-speed construction site of the new Wuhan hospital, 60,000 square meters, specially built to isolate 2019 coronavirus patients.
"We have delivered the best possible filtration systems on time. The filters are being installed in the ventilation systems, air handling units that will pulsate the air inside the buildings. ", specifies the director.
A production unit in China
The strength of AFPRO-Filters is above all to have a production unit in China, which requisitioned 200 employees despite the Chinese New Year. "Many of our employees went on vacation, so we contacted them again and faced with the crisis situation, everyone felt mobilized," says Camille Sabos, marketing manager.
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In front of the mind-blowing images of this Chinese hospital out of the ground in a few days, Romain Bassani is not surprised. "When they put in the means and there is a crisis situation, we know what they can do. To be honest, I am not impressed. So we reacted the same way," says there.
The company is now preparing to fulfill another order for air filtration equipment for a 1,500-bed hospital that will open this week.