BEKO meets demand for DRYPOINT M membrane dryers during COVID-19
June 22, 2020
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has certainly taught us many things and exposed weaknesses in infrastructures around the world. From shortages in qualified medical and nursing personnel to the complete absence of necessary medical devices, protective equipment and raw materials required to help quell this pandemic.
With those on the frontline risking their life every day in situations like this, there are also those in the background helping to ensure that this battle can be fought – and won. Manufacturers across the globe are increasing their output at an unprecedented rate, and have banded together to help deepen the arsenal of not only critical intratracheal ventilation devices, but products and supplies that are essential to food processing, pharmaceutical production and laboratory and hospital diagnostic testing that help meet service needs for public health, safety and global well-being during this critical time.
Mobile respiration systems often have an independent compressed air supply and most applications in the sectors mentioned above are sensitive applications requiring the highest purity of air. Many of these devices utilize an internal compressed air membrane dryer for that exact reason. The compressed air supplied to these ventilators and other devices is dried by the membrane dryer to a certain percentage of relative humidity, as required by the application.
BEKO Technologies has been manufacturing the DRYPOINT M membrane dryer in the USA for more than 20 years and has been supplying these membrane air dryers to manufacturers of ventilation and respiration equipment as a component approved for medical technology for more than 15 years worldwide.
The BEKO DRYPOINT M family of products.
Supported by government projects and the massive uptick in global demand, a veritable flood of orders set in at BEKO Technologies. The demand received for the next three months is roughly equal to the demand of two years under normal circumstances. While the causation of this order intake is something BEKO Technologies would never wish for, the company is proud to stand behind those at the vanguard working to suppress this pandemic and to help overcome the challenges faced by global society.
At BEKO Technologies, a sounding out of the situation was immediately convened at management level, including the manufacturing facility in Atlanta, Georgia. The worldwide requirements and the prioritization of its manufacturing facility in the USA were subsequently coordinated at short notice. Special task forces work together across two continents to coordinate production, control the allocation of delivery quantities to individual customers and the global use of resources within the company.
The Atlanta manufacturing facility was identified as being an essential business operation and allowed to continue production despite the various lock-down and shelter-in-place orders that have been issued since the surge of COVID-19. Amidst the increase in demand, the company has remained flexible in terms of organization to meet the worldwide need for ventilation systems, but without losing sight of the capacity required for long-standing, loyal customers.
Increased personal hygiene for all employees, intensified sanitization protocols and social distancing is being practiced and have been in place since late-February. Front office personnel were mobilized to work remotely early on, automated machines are now working 24/7 and required production personnel has been increased and working in a two-shift operation not only to increase output, but also to ensure that all personnel maintain a safe distance from one another. The purchasing and logistics teams throughout the organization have remained agile to successfully maintain their global supply chain given the uncertainty of conditions throughout the world. BEKO Technologies is pleased to say, this additional workload is something all personnel are highly motivated to cope with. Thanks to quick reactions, a high degree of flexibility and a determination to help, BEKO Technologies has proven to be a reliable partner in times of extreme crisis.