Bacou Dalloz moves to meet strong demand for respiratory masks following the global outbreak of SARS

Smithfield, RI April 11, 2003: Bacou Dalloz, the world leader in personal protective equipment (PPE), announced that it has increased its production capacity for disposable respiratory masks in order to meet the growing worldwide demand following the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

The group designs and manufactures these products within its own facility. Rapid response production teams have been mobilized at its respiratory production facility to boost production by over 50% and to respond more quickly to these market orders that show no signs of abatement. Millions of respiratory masks will be shipped to various regions by the end of April, and shipments will continue at the same pace in the days and weeks ahead.

Willson N95 disposable respiratory masks are designed to meet all US NIOSH standards for disposable respirators of this kind and, with the absence of complete confirmation on the type and size of the virus causing the spread of SARS, the N95 products are being widely used as the most general, readily available barrier to lessen the possible threat presented by this type of epidemic.

Through its rapid response to this sudden upturn in demand, Bacou-Dalloz has been able to again demonstrate the flexibility and responsiveness of its advanced, fully integrated, global production facilities and its ability to quickly mobilize its work force to meet emergency demand situations wherever and whenever they emerge around the world.

The Bacou-Dalloz Group is the world leader in the design, manufacturing and sale of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). The company employs about 6,700 people and operates 48 production facilities. Bacou-Dalloz provides unmatched head-to-toe protection through two strategic business segments: head protection (eye, hearing and respiratory) and body protection (fall protection, gloves, clothes and shoes). The group also has its own distributor in France, Abrium. Bacou-Dalloz offers a full product range aimed at the manufacturing, construction, telecommunications, medical, public services and other sectors. Its products are available directly from the company or its distributor partners worldwide. Bacou-Dalloz is listed on the Euronext Premier March in Paris and is eligible to the SRD (Monthly Settlement Service).
Euroclear Code 6089 Reuters Code CRDZ.PA
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Investor Relations
Bacou-Dalloz :
Stphane Bisseuil
Tel. +33 (0)1 49 90 79 74
e-mail: InvestorRelations@bacou-dalloz.com