Mask exports – the new 'money-making machine' in China.

In early February, when the epidemic was raging in China, Guan Xunze's company, 34, built a new mask factory in just seven days.

This factory, with five production lines, is located in northeastern China and supplies N95 masks to meet the enormous market demand as the number of coronavirus infections continues to rise rapidly each day.

Now, as the number of nCoV infections in China gradually decreases, Guang continues to profit from new markets, exporting face masks to Italy, where the number of deaths has surpassed that of China.

Globally, more than half a million cases of nCoV infection have been recorded, and the demand for protective equipment continues to surge as numerous countries struggle to combat the pandemic.

"Mask-making machines are literally money-printing machines," said Shi Xinghui, sales manager at a company selling mask-making machines in Dongguan city, southeastern Guangdong province, adding that profits from mask sales are soaring, several times higher than before.

Qi Guangtu invested approximately $7 million in his mask-making machine factory in the southern Dongguan industrial zone. The facility Qi operates has been running continuously 24/7 since January 25th, two days after Wuhan, where the novel coronavirus first appeared in China, was placed under lockdown.

"Recovering the initial investment isn't a big problem," Qi said. After two months, his company had sold 70 sets of the product, each priced at $71,000. Qi now has over 200 more orders in hand, totaling $14 million.

"After purchasing and operating the machine, the investment is recouped in just 15 days," Qi said. According to him, this investment is extremely lucrative for customers.

Manufacturer You Lixin had never set foot in a mask factory before. But when the demand for masks skyrocketed, seeing an opportunity, You took only 10 days from the moment he decided to enter the market to completing his own automated mask-making machine production line.

"I only sleep two or three hours a day, and so do my clients," he said.

Customers even slept at his factory while waiting to receive their mask-making machines.

Many of them are owners of garment factories in Wenzhou city, eastern Zhejiang province, and have recently switched to producing face masks. "They have so many orders that they don't have the capacity to deliver the right quantity," You said.

The continuous increase in mask production has led to a rise in raw material prices. Guan said that fabric prices have skyrocketed from over $1,400 to nearly $68,000 per ton.

In late January, manufacturer Liao Biao faced considerable difficulties transporting parts for its mask-making machines from outside Hunan province due to inter-provincial travel restrictions. Ultimately, Liao had to pay a specialist ten times the normal price to inspect the machines.

"Investing now is blind," You said.

But despite rising production costs, the enormous profit margins still make the industry attractive.

China's daily mask production has exceeded 116 million units, enough to supply overseas markets.

Guan has exported one million face masks to Italy, while Shi currently has over 200 orders from South Korea and other European Union (EU) countries.

"Dongguan remains the world's factory," Shi said. "Orders peaked for the first time around mid-February. Now there's another wave of orders due to the epidemic."

Liao is also looking to export face masks to Europe and Canada. "The domestic demand for masks has decreased, and now we have a surplus to support other countries. We are ready to help," he said.

Guan remains completely optimistic about the future of the mask manufacturing industry, even after the pandemic is over.

"Most people will still keep wearing masks after this pandemic," Guan predicted. "I will still be in the mask manufacturing industry."