BYD, Europe’s leading electric bus manufacturer – and also one of the world’s foremost producers of face-masks – has today made a significant donation of masks to the national government of Hungary. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade will today receive 70,000 masks, while 30,000 masks will be handed to the Municipality of Komárom later today.
At a handover ceremony today (30th April) in Budapest, Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs & Trade, took possession of 70,000 face-masks from Yongping Chen, Managing Director of BYD Hungary, one of two BYD eBus production facilities in Europe; the other in Beauvais, France. Isbrand Ho, Managing Director of BYD (Europe), conducted an earlier online meeting with Minister Szijjártó to discuss the coronavirus outbreak and how BYD is helping with the essential delivery of face-masks and other Personal Protection Equipment to health organisations across the world.
Péter Szijjártó said, “We very much appreciate the donation from BYD. This is a significant contribution to our efforts in controlling the coronavirus outbreak in Hungary, and it will go a long way to helping local communities. Moreover, BYD’s support underlines the solidarity that exists between our respective countries.”
A further hand-over of 30,000 face-masks to the city of Komárom also took place today at the city hall where the Mayor of Komárom, Attila Molnár, accepted the donation. He said, “At a time of great need in our city, it is hugely gratifying to know that our key industrial partner, BYD, is ready and willing to provide assistance. BYD’s donation will go immediately to the frontline effort as we tackle the coronavirus outbreak.”
Today’s announcements follow last week’s donations by BYD France of 160,000 face-masks to a number of French public transport operators and their local communities. Again, in Hungary, BYD has demonstrated its full commitment to fighting the coronavirus outbreak.
BYD’s Isbrand Ho added, “With our manufacturing facilities in Hungary and France, these recent face-mask donations reaffirm our relationship with our friends and colleagues in both countries. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our partners right across Europe, and beyond, in the fight to bring the coronavirus outbreak under control and to continue in our quest to bring 100% emissions-free, pure electric public transport to towns and cities.”
BYD has reassigned manufacturing at a number of its locations in China in order to produce pharmaceutical equipment in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak. In so doing , BYD has become one of the world’s leading manufacturers of face-masks and other Personal Protection Equipment. 20 million masks are now produced daily, designed and manufactured to comply with Hungarian and European health regulations.
BYD’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Komárom – BYD Electric Bus & Truck Hungary Kft. – commenced production in 2017, becoming BYD’s first assembly location in Europe. The facility embraces BYD’s ‘made in Europe for Europe’ philosophy, with a range of products and services designed to meet the exacting operational requirements of Public Transport Operators in Europe. The Komárom plant has to-date received investment totalling over 20 million euros, undertaking R&D and production of electric buses and associated new-energy products. Annual, double-shifted production results in 400 completed eBuses for markets throughout Europe, including for operations ranging from the severe cold of Scandinavia to the extreme heat of the Iberian Peninsula and southern Italy.
SOURCE: BYD
