LA MADELEINE, FRANCE — Roquette, known as a supplier of plant-based ingredients, now will manufacture a hydro-alcoholic disinfectant solution at its site in Lestrem, France. The manufacturing strategy comes as many countries are facing a shortage of hydro-alcoholic disinfectant during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Roquette plans to produce 5,000 liters of solution per week. The first shipment was sent free of charge to the University of Lille Hospital Center, to the French Blood Donors Organization and to other local health facilities, in coordination with the Hauts-de-France Regional Health Agency and the local authorities.

Roquette usually does not produce this type of solution, but the company adjusted one of its research and development pilot units in Lestrem and obtained regulatory approvals to produce the solution.

Of the 5,000 liters, 500 liters will be used internally to strengthen the existing measures put in place to protect employees and contractors working at the company’s sites. Another 4,000 liters will be distributed every week to the University of Lille Hospital Center, and 500 liters will address the needs of the French Blood Donors Organization and the health care workers of other local health facilities.

 “At Roquette we think that, more than ever, we all have to join forces and help each other to address this global crisis,” said Jean-Marc Gilson, chief executive officer of Lestrem-based Roquette. “With this initiative, we wish to take part in the collective effort to support those who are fighting the COVID-19 pandemic every day.

“We are proud and pleased to contribute, at our scale, to the support of health care workers. All our employees are committed to this mission, and thanks to their efforts we have been able to launch this initiative and are already thinking about the possibility of increasing the production.”