Samsung secures masks on the strength of its global network

In an attempt to ease shortages of masks, Samsung Group has embarked on its mission to secure masks, mobilizing its global network of offices. The masks secured by Samsung employees across the world have been donated to Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province. The South Korean company is also helping local mask manufacturers to increase their production.

Samsung announced on Tuesday that it delivered about 284,000 masks it secured through its overseas offices and 50,000 its buyer donated.

On February 29, Samsung Group ordered overseas offices of its all subsidiaries including Samsung Electronics, Samsung C&T Corporation and Samsung Display to buy all available masks, which prompted a swift search for mask producers and retailers. The employees visited retailers for a quality check, and their families were mobilized when they were short-handed.

Thanks to such concerted effort, the company was able to secure approximately 284,000 masks from Canada, Columbia and China for a month. Samsung Group donated 80,000 masks to Daegu, a city that was hit the hardest by the novel coronavirus, and the remaining 200,000 to Hope Bridge. Samsung also sent 50,000 masks, which its semiconductor buyer in China donated for Samsung employees, to the Daegu Medical Association.

Overseas offices of Samsung Electronics and Samsung C&T Corporation used their networks to purchase mask filters. They signed a contract with foreign filter suppliers designated by the government to import and supply the filters to the Public Procurement Service. They have so far bought 53 tons of filters for making masks.

In addition to securing masks, Samsung Group is providing consulting services for domestic mask manufacturers. It dispatched experts in manufacturing last month to the mask producer and supplier Hwajin in Jangseong, South Jeolla Province, in support of improving manufacturing efficiency by optimizing its production line and working routes. Hwajin now produces 100,000 masks a day, up from 40,000.

Samsung has also created a mold using its precision mold center in Gwangju for another mask manufacturer, and helped reduce the preparation time by three weeks. The conglomerate has also been providing expert support since March 3 for three other mask producers that were referred by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and Korea Federation of SMEs (KBIZ).

Samsung donated 30-billion-won worth of donations and supplies to Hope Bridge on February 26 when Samsung Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong said, “We should support our communities and help each other in times like this.”


Dong-Il Seo dong@donga.com