The technology company, which is based in Singapore and the United States, had already focused on the manufacture of masks in response to
pandemic. Now it is planning to double that production and create its own public vending machines.
To start, Razer will place 20 machines in various shopping centers and co-working spaces in the coming weeks. To pick up a mask, the company says users will need to download its digital wallet app and scan a QR code at the vending machine.
The plan is to provide all adult Singapore residents with a free surgical mask, totaling around 5 million, according to the company. Once the program has started, you can add multiple locations.
A growing number of companies are stepping up to contribute to equipment shortages as the coronavirus epidemic spreads around the world.
For several months, Singapore has been viewed as one of the few countries that has had its response under control. But he experienced an alarming second wave of infections, which led to more restrictions. The island nation has 23,822 confirmed cases, compared to a few hundred in March, according to data from
Johns Hopkins University.
Razer, a major hardware manufacturer known for its mice and laptops, said recently
declaration who had “initially converted the production lines of existing products in China to create and donate masks for immediate relief”.
“However, [the company] he was inundated with requests due to an extreme shortage of face masks … especially in Southeast Asia, “he added.
In response, the company opened an automated factory in Singapore last month to produce approximately 5 million surgical masks per month.
He is now taking a further step forward with those plans, with the goal of producing up to 10 million masks per month. The increase in production is to “ensure a continuous supply” in Singapore, the company said.
The new vending machines aim to “ensure that the public always has access to the masks when they are out and about,” for example if someone forgets to bring one from home, the company said.
But not everyone is affected.
The requirement to download the Razer app led to
criticism on social media, where some users have suggested that the company is simply trying to gather more users for its fintech platform, Razer Pay.
Razer Min-Liang Tan’s CEO replied on Monday. “I see some negativity about how we request verification through Razer Pay,” he wrote in a
to send on your verified Facebook account.
“But if you think about it, this is the only way we will be able to make sure there is nothing free about masks … We are financing it completely on our own and we would like to make sure there is no fraud.”
Vending machines for face masks are starting to appear in Asia as suppliers look for simple ways to reach the public directly. Last month, a prominent Hong Kong art collector also claimed that he would distribute free masks to people in the city using vending machines.
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