Masks in luggage: How a Malaysian tech firm reopened its China factory

When the factory in the Chinese city of Xiamen closed for the Lunar New Year, and Malaysian employees came home for the break, Qdos decided that on their return, they and their families would stuff as many masks from Malaysia as possible in their luggage. — Bloomberg

PENANG, Malaysia: When news of the coronavirus outbreak spread around the world in January, officials of the Malaysian tech company Qdos quickly realised what they needed to do to keep their factory in China running: get enough surgical masks for the 800 staff there.

The company, which makes flexible printed circuit boards and caters to five of the world's 10 biggest smartphone makers, could not secure enough masks in China, where supplies quickly ran out as the virus crisis grew.