To produce medical-grade hand sanitizer for donation to COVID-19 response efforts, manufacturing operations in Louisiana have been reconfigured by ExxonMobil Corp.
The company previously announced that it would boost production of materials for personal protective equipment (PPE) and also work with the Global Center for Medical Innovation on joint-development projects to rapidly redesign and manufacture reusable PPE.
ExxonMobil’s initial production of medical-grade sanitizer reached 160,000 gallons and is being distributed to medical providers and first responders. At its chemical manufacturing facility in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, monthly production of isopropyl alcohol (a key ingredient in sanitizer) has been increased by about 3,000 metric tons.
Additional ingredients and modified equipment purchased by the company at a lubricants plant nearby Port Allen, Louisiana, to produce, package and distribute hand sanitizer. To enable monthly production of up to 50 million 4-ounce bottles of sanitizer, the increased production of isopropyl alcohol announced by ExxonMobil earlier this month. Its capability to manufacture specialized polypropylene was also increased by about 1,000 metric tons per month. The amount is sufficient to produce up to 20 million gowns or 200 million medical masks.
