The COVID-19 pandemic is causing devastation worldwide. Among the concerns has been the shortage of disinfectants and hand sanitizers. To fill this gap, some ink manufacturers are using their formulation and manufacturing expertise to produce materials to stem the flow of COVID-19.

Headquartered in Tamm, Germany, Marabu GmbH & Co KG switched a portion of its digital ink production to manufacture hand and surface disinfectants to help the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The sanitizers meet World Health Organization (WHO) standards. Marabu has produced more than 2,000 liters of sanitizers, donating 500 liters to RKH Hospital in Lud-wigsburg, near Stuttgart, and another 500 liters to its employees.

“With this donation, we want to help those people who are working selflessly and beyond their limits to provide outstanding care to our fellow citizens,” said Marabu CEO York Boeder.

“Faced with the current, very difficult market for disinfectant and protective equipment, we are very grateful for any help,” said Alexander Tsongas, director of communication at RKH. “It is wonderful that companies in the region are doing their part in the fight against Covid-19.”

The company has donated a large part of its production to regional hospitals, as well as 2,000 protective masks and hundreds of crayons.

Boeder said that the idea came up from a Marabu employee whose wife works at the regional hospital.

“He then told our management that there is an absolute lack of disinfectant,” Boeder added. “And since Marabu, as a chemical company, has the necessary resources and equipment, it was decided that we would switch part of the production to disinfectant. There is a shortage not only in the hospital but everywhere in Germany. At the moment we have the permission to sell the disinfectant only in Germany. So, we can now actively participate in the fight against COVID-19.”

Marabu quickly adapted its expertise to formulate and produce the hand sanitizers.

“On the production side, we essentially only had to change organizational things (create space and capacities, organize work processes and train employees),” Boeder reported. “The necessary hardware is available in-house. Through close coordination between the purchasing, development, product management, product safety, production and planning departments, we were able to deliver within six days. It was produced according to the specifications of the WHO.”

“Due to the currently difficult availability of raw materials, especially ethanol, we were able to produce 2,000 liters of disinfectant in a first step,” Boeder said. “Of this, we have distributed 500 liters to our own employees and 500 liters will be donated to the Ludwigsburg Clinic. We have allocated the remaining quantities to our customers.”

Boeder anticipates that Marabu will continue to produce hand sanitizers for local organizations for the foreseeable future.

“The production changeover is designed in such a way that we will be producing disinfectants over a longer period of time from now on,” added Boeder. “It has not yet been decided whether we will continue to do so after Corona.”