Alstom, Decathlon and a consortium of companies donate 200 adapted snorkel masks as tools to combat the COVID-19

French transport and sports companies have joined forces, together with other actors, to deliver protections to different hospitals in Mexico, in order to face the health crisis caused by COVID-19

Mexico City, June 11, 2020 - Alstom Mexico, in partnership with Decathlon Mexico, invested more than $300,000 MXN, through a joint campaign to help public and private hospitals in the country responding to the COVID-19 pandemic by delivering protective items to help care for patients and healthcare personnel.

The companies’ project is to adapt "Easybreath" snorkel masks in PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) and NIV (Non-invasive Ventilation) material, as well as masks for personnel in contact with people infected by the new coronavirus. The adapters for these products are manufactured with 3D printers, while the necessary filters purchased as medical supplies. The actors involved in the 3D printing the masks include: Mediatec Group, led by Alfred Rodriguez; Doctor Iván Velázquez Fiesco, from AGG Medical Service, who collaborated in the development of the adaptation of the mask for NIV use with the engineer Laurent Gouteron, of Alstom; the engineers Ángel Guzmán and Alejandro Ayala, who work at Alstom and supported to mounting of the masks; the Gouteron-Moestaryanti Puruhita Sardjan Gandhi family, Antony Denize and Keidas Technology, who made the printers and workshops available to manufacture the medical devices.

As part of the delivery of these supports, on Friday, May 29, the first donation of 70 masks and 60 face shields were donated to the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubirán, in Mexico City. Last Friday, June 5, the second donation of 14 PPE masks were donated to the National Institute of Cardiology Ignacio Chávez and 40 PPE masks to the Civil Hospital of Guadalajara. From these first deliveries, the remaining will be made progressively over the next few weeks until the final distribution of the 200 masks and 500 masks.

The adaptation of the Easybreath mask, considered one of the most innovative products by Decathlon, was possible thanks to the plans developed by several companies in Europe: the Healthy Breath by Safran and the Consortium France. In addition, the adapter of PPE masks for medical personnel and the Non-invasive Ventilation mask were developed by the same companies. Alstom was in charge of engineering the NIV mask adaptations with a high oxygen flow system.

Maite Ramos, Alstom Mexico’s Managing Director, said that: "In order to carry out this action, Alstom was in charge of engineering to make the adaptations of the NIV masks with systems of high flow of oxygen, which ensures the quality and a high level of protection of these products". In addition, she also thanked all those involved in the project and assured that, with these deliveries, many patients and health professionals in Mexico will be helped in the face of the health crisis we are experiencing.

For his part, Eric Fortune, Decathlon Mexico’s Managing Director, commented: "We are very happy that one of our most innovative products can contribute to the fight against this pandemic to bring well-being to Mexicans, which has always been the meaning of Decathlon".

With these actions, both companies reaffirm their commitment to generate health and wellness support for communities and hospitals, jointly and in solidarity, in order to face the health crisis that we are witnessing in Mexico and the world.