The Federal Minister of Economics, Peter Altmaier, handed over the first notice of funding for the manufacturer of masked nonwovens to Innovatec Microfibre Technology GmbH & Co. KG in Troisdorf on 5 June 2020.

The Federal Ministry of Economics is promoting the development of a mask industry in Germany and is supporting Innovatec in the purchase of two meltblown lines with a state subsidy of 30 percent. Based on the experience of the corona pandemic, it is the declared aim of the Federal Minister of Economics to build up a mask industry in Germany and thus minimize the dependency on foreign supply chains in the long term.

Innovatec is the world's leading producer and quality leader of meltblown fleece. It is required for producing effective protective masks.

Innovatec^® was established in the North Rhine-Westphalian city of Troisdorf in 1995. The company immediately invested in one of Europe's most modern melt blown units. The product portfolio has since been expanded to include high-tech materials for the medical and food sectors. Products produced in Troisdorf include liquid absorbents for the food industry, elastic nonwovens and filter products for the hygiene and medical sectors. To facilitate the company's expansion, Innovatec^® built a new high-bay warehouse, state-of-the-art laboratory facilities and a new office building, creating room for a workforce that now numbers more than 100.  In the year 2014 another melt blown unit manfuctured by Reifenhäuser was successfully commissioned. The modern 1.60 m production unit is used primarily for the versatile and flexible production of nonwoven fabrics for the filter, automotive and hygiene industries. In 2015 the first spunbond line was brought into service, expanding Innovatec^®’s product range with future-oriented spunlace technology. Main areas of application are filtration and building industry. The new unit gives Innovatec^® access to one of the largest and most modern pools of melt blow production equipment, positioning the company very well for the future.