- The craftspeople at Lamborghini are producing surgical masks and face shields at their small production center to help fight the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.
- Italy has been hit extremely hard by the virus and needs more personal protective equipment, so the specialty carmaker will make 1000 masks and 200 face shields a day.
- Lamborghini is the latest in a line of carmakers to join the effort, with GM, Ford, and the Mercedes-AMG Formula 1 team all producing medical equipment.
In the midst of a global pandemic, the news that automakers are stepping up to help fight the coronavirus pandemic is a glimmer of inspiration that reinforces the idea that the world will overcome our current situation. Lamborghini is the latest to join the group of manufacturers that have moved their focus from building cars to producing essential equipment for patients and health-care professionals.
Lamborghini has started making face shields and masks for health-care workers in Italy, which is among one of the hardest-hit countries, with the second most reported cases of COVID-19 in the world. Lamborghini isn’t your average car manufacturer; each vehicle is hand-built. So they lack the facilities for mass production of automotive giants GM and Ford, both of which have pivoted to making ventilators.
Despite the lack of mass production facilities, Lamborghini chairman and CEO Stefano Domenicali, said: “During this emergency, we feel the need to make a concrete contribution. We will win this battle together by working in union, supporting those who are at the forefront of fighting this pandemic every day.”
This contribution comes in the form of hand-stitched surgical masks and 3D printed face shields, all made at Lamborghini’s production plant in Sant’Agata Bolognese. The surgical masks are being made by the saddlery department, which is responsible for making the interiors of Lamborghinis. They will make 1000 surgical masks per day, all hand-stitched by craftspeople. The plexiglass face shields are being produced by Lamborghini’s carbon-fiber production plant and its R&D department. The two teams are 3D printing face shields at a rate of 200 units per day.
Lamborghini has been collaborating with the regional government, health authorities, and the nearby University of Bologna to ensure that the medical equipment is approved and up to proper spec before it’s donated to the Sant’Orsola-Malpighi Hospital in Bologna.
Lamborghini has also been showing its support for the nation of Italy by lighting up the front of its headquarters in the colors of the Italian flag each evening.
Source: Motor - aranddriver.com