Yingguan Technology used to produce dentures, but now, they've shook up operations to make protective suits. With masks and protective suits becoming some of the most sought-after pieces of equipment for medical workers fighting the COVID-19 epidemic, many factories and workshops in China are shifting production to speed up supply.

Guo Dapeng, chairman of Beijing Yingguan Dental Technology, told CGTN that the nature of his company means it has the built-in advantage as well as responsibility to join nationwide efforts to ease shortages.

"We've brought in about 20 new pieces of equipment and a dozen workers skilled in making clothing. After about two weeks, we can now make about 300 pieces a day. I've donated several initial batches. And the following production will be consumed by government procurement."

Guo says the factory is now open around the clock with two shifts of workers. And the intensive 24-hour production cycle is to make sure they provide as much support as possible to medical staff on the frontlines.

But during this critical period, what matters for Guo and his workers is not just quantity, but quality as well. And that's why his team has made adjustments based on feedback from medical staff. Guo Dapeng said the goal is to make suits that reduce the chance of infection, but also to make them more comfortable when worn for long periods of time.  

"Before, medical staff needed to wear goggles separately, which are very tight and uncomfortable during long hours of working. So we're using a transparent board as part of the suit to replace the goggles. We also plan to add a mini ventilation system in the suits to make them more comfortable."

Guo's company is not alone in shifting gear for churning out medical necessities that are in short supply, some large scale auto makers such as Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC Group) and BYD are now manufacturing masks, and many garment factories have reconfigured production lines to produce medical suits.

GAC Group officially commissioned its face mask production lines on February 20. The mask production was carried out by the company's automotive parts division GAC Component with a daily output of 250,000.

The Chinese government has also rolled out a slew of measures such as tax relief and cheaper loans in helping mitigate the shortage of medical supplies at the frontline.