28
April
2020
|
10:54
America/New_York

Visteon plant in Brazil joins face shield production for regional employees, partners and hospitals

Following the inspirational work of Visteon’s team in Palmela, Portugal, in producing and distributing thousands of protective face shields to combat the spread of COVID-19, the company’s manufacturing facility in Manaus, Brazil, is also offering their time, energy and resources to contribute to the efforts in providing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to employees and medical facilities across the country.

The team in Brazil received the injection mold for production of the shields from colleagues in Palmela on April 23, and will utilize the expertise of a local injection molding partner to create a safe and effective product. 

The masks will be assembled at the Manaus plant to assist employees currently working there in a limited capacity and will be supplied to every member of the facility's team – once the site is deemed safe enough for employees to phase back to work and while following strict return-to-work protocols. With the ambition to create 40,000 masks overall in Brazil, PPE will also be donated to help local hospitals fight the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Sergio Capela, Plant Manager, Manaus
“Visteon is proud of the determination of its people around the world as they deliver meaningful contributions in combatting the social and business effects of the coronavirus. Our ongoing efforts in Manaus to produce more face shields will not only help employees at the plant, but also provides adequate protection for key medical personnel who are on the frontline of this pandemic daily. Our aim to produce 10,000 face shields a week over the next month will assist collective health and safety for people in Brazil and hopefully benefit the local economy as well.”
Sergio Capela, Plant Manager, Manaus

Additionally, in a move to support one of its automaker partners, Visteon is supplying 2,000 PPE shields to Volkswagen in Brazil. The protective apparatus will be provided by Visteon's plants in Palmela and Manaus and will assist VW staff in getting their manufacturing operations in South America back up and running.

These efforts illustrate Visteon's combination of protecting the health and safety of medical staff in the region, as well as safeguarding the wellbeing of the employees of its OEM customers.

With a significant presence in the region, Visteon supports VW with its Regio infotainment platform that features in the Nivus SUV. Supplying silverbox and display hardware, as well as software, Visteon’s solution incorporates phone connectivity, media mirroring and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto infotainment functionalities – and is manufactured in Manaus.

Manaus’ capabilities – which include fully autonomous screwing systems and 3-D optical inspection machines – are based on a vision that is future-led, supplementing augmented technology and functionality that is fundamental for Visteon’s direction. The state-of-the-art facility handles a complex logistical set-up that encapsulates all stages of the supply chain – from sourcing raw material across more than 400 global suppliers, to final delivery.