China Coal Mengda New Energy Chemical Company -- a firm located at Uxin Banner in Ordos city in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region -- has totally switched its direction in direct response to the novel coronavirus epidemic.

A company spokesman said on Feb 7 that its production line had produced 10,000 tons of fiber material within 10 days to meet the demand from downstream businesses in the production of protective medical clothing, used to fight the virus.

In the face of the current coronavirus outbreak -- that has left face masks, protective clothing and other medical prevention and control materials in short supply -- the plant received instructions from parent China Coal Group to produce fiber material for medical supplies.

The spokesman said the company's three production lines that were redesigned to produce polypropylene fiber materials have been put into high gear.

It is estimated that 10,000 tons of raw materials can in turn be used by manufacturers to produce 40 million sets of medical protective clothing for frontline workers fighting the epidemic.