A revolutionary mask for people with hearing loss and their family and professional circle in compliance with Health Canada requirements
Louiseville company becomes the first manufacturer in Canada of medical procedure masks with a transparent window meeting ASTM F2100 requirements
Louiseville, December 9, 2020 – Entreprise Prémont today officially launched production of Humask-Pro Vision, a windowed mask specially designed for the family and professional circle of people with hearing loss. This new mask, which will be manufactured at its Louiseville plant in Québec, has a transparent window allowing lip reading, which is necessary to compensate for hearing loss.
“This revolutionary new product will protect people in the professional and family circle whose facial expressions must be seen to communicate easily in situations and places when two metres of distancing can’t be maintained – for example, in the hospital, at school, at daycare and at work. Our R&D team has succeeded in developing a safe and ergonomic product on the technological cutting edge,” says Luc Girard, an Entreprise Prémont partner.
Major investments
Production has already begun to meet the strong demand for this type of mask in Québec, Canada and the United States. “We are currently able to manufacture thousands of masks per week. Starting in January 2021, output will speed up to millions of units per week, because we are on the way to fully automated production,” explains Luc Girard.
Humask-Pro Vision: a Québec innovation
Its unique design was conceived to offer space between the mouth and the transparent window for greater comfort and optimum breathability. Made from hypoallergenic and microporous membranes, this mask stands out for its anti-fogging and anti-glare properties obtained from the unique HUcare filtration technology, a Québec innovation. Humask-Pro Vision’s tight welds also provide remarkable protection.
“Humask-Pro Vision is the result of Québec ingenuity and knowhow in technical textiles and manufacturing. The local supply of medical personal protective equipment is at the core of Québec’s health and economic recovery. The pandemic has confirmed the importance for governments and healthcare institutions to procure locally. This innovation clearly proves our ability as an industry to mobilize in order to provide a sustained supply of the equipment necessary for the protection of healthcare workers, patients and the public, as well as the quality of life of people with hearing loss,” affirms Dany Charest, General Manager of TechniTextile Québec, the Cluster of excellence in technical textile materials.
“Humask-Pro Vision is impatiently awaited by everyone with a hearing loss. Opaque artisanal masks or face coverings prevent lip reading, which is often essential to compensate for hearing loss. We hope healthcare professionals, school and daycare staff, employers and retailers will procure Humask-Pro Vision to better meet the needs of people with hearing loss. Children and people who are learning the language or have a developmental language disorder can also benefit if their educators wear this mask,” explains Jeanne Choquette, President of Audition Québec.
This new product complies with Health Canada’s requirements (ASTM F2100-19 standard) regarding flammability, breathability, and protection against fine particulates (viruses), bacteria and fluid and blood projections. Therefore, it also meets the requirements of the Commission des normes, de l'équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST).
Available now!
Humask-Pro Vision will be distributed through the schools, hospitals, and government institutions, as well as specialized distributors. The mask will also be available to the public from the beginning of 2021 on the company’s website at humask.com.
“This Québec innovation is a fine example of collaboration and complementarity, combining economic and technological development with socio-community engagement. A portion of the profits from the sale of Humask-Pro Vision will be turned over to Audition Québec. This project is especially dear to me because one of my two children – like thousands of children in Québec and the rest of the world – will be able to continue her development normally, despite her hearing loss, thanks to the ingenuity and perseverance of our team and all our partners in this project,” adds Luc Girard.
Entreprise Prémont is continuing its growth with tens of millions of regular procedure masks produced in the past eight months. The company has just finished expansion of its Louiseville plant, increasing its area to 25,000 sq. ft., just six months after its opening. The owners have invested over $10 million since the ground-breaking last March. The company, which employs 160 people, supplies the Governments of Québec and Canada, SMEs and major corporations.
About Entreprise Prémont
Entreprise Prémont launched the production of masks in April 2020, in response to the shortage of medical personal protective equipment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The plant, located in Louiseville, almost exclusively manufactures single-use surgical and procedure masks ranging from protection levels 1 to 3. Sold under the Humask trademark, these masks are compliant with Health Canada.
About Audition Québec
Audition Québec is a non-profit organization serving adults who have hearing loss or who have become deaf and their family and professional circle. Its mission is to promote the autonomy and integration of people with hearing problems in Québec.
About Technitextile Québec
TechniTextile Québec, a cluster of excellence created in 2017, brings together all the industrial, technical, scientific and government stakeholders involved in the value chain of technical textile materials In Québec. The hub, an initiative of the ACCORD approach of the Ministry of Economy and Innovation (MEI), seeks to promote the industry’s sustainable development.
###
If you wish to join the waiting list for the purchase of the Humask-Pro Vision, please complete the form on the Audition Québec website.
The press conference of December 9, 2020 is available for replay on YouTube
For more information
Nancy German, Primacom
514 924-4445
nancygerman@primacom.ca
Sébastien Langevin, MRC Maskinongé
819 228-9461, extension 3919
sebastien.Langevin@mrc-maskinonge.qc.ca
