1. Valmet is one of the world leaders in the development and supply of technologies. Specialized in cellulose, what led Valmet to work with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)?
In face of requests received internally (country) and externally (Valmet group) we analyzed our technological capabilities and concluded that it is technically possible to develop a felt for use in individual protection masks.

2. One of Valmet's bets is on high quality production. How did you manage to remain internationally competitive with such strong competition from the east?
In general, our company stands out for the quality and high performance of our products and for the technical services provided to our customers. Regarding PPE felt, its commercialization is still under study. For now, the goal is to contribute to meeting the needs generated by the pandemic by making our know-how available for the development of this product.

3. The appearance of COVID-19 had a strong impact on Valmet. How was the company reorganized to respond to a demand so much greater than supply?
We allocated a team to this project that involves people from the areas of R&D, production and commercial. And, as stated earlier, we are still in the product development phase.

4. Valmet is one of Fibrenamics' partner companies. What advantages do you find in this collaborative work?
Possibility to participate in development projects including areas that may not be in our current product range, thus opening up the acquisition of new know-how and the possibility of expanding our business to other industrial areas.
The masks development project is a good example of this collaborative work.

Date: April/2020
Interviewed: Vera Oliveira, R&D Engineer - Valmet