Singapore

Diaper Laboratory

Merries Laboratory and Factory Tour Discover more about the diaper-making process!

(4) At the Factory:
Merries production process

"First, we produce the 'absorbent core'. After grinding the paper pulp, we mix it with the polymer to produce a thin layer. This becomes the absorbent core."
"What is a polymer?"
"This super absorbent core can absorb more than 50 times its own weight of pee in an instant, and turn the pee into a gel-like texture. It does not leak even when pressure is applied on it."
"The polymer ensures that there is no leakage or backflow caused by the pee."
"The non-woven cloth for diaper production is stored here! It is a huge quantity!"
"This section is for the baby's bottom, and that is for the side gathers around the edges. After the respective sections are cut, they will be adhered to the absorbent core."
"That means that different parts of the diaper are made with different types of non-woven cloth!"
"To prevent the baby from developing diaper rash, Merries chooses to use a non-woven cloth that is formulated with witch hazel solution to provide gentle care for the baby's skin."
"Next, we will affix the resealable tapes, and hems for the waist and thighs."
"The tape is less than 1mm wide! What an intricate production process!"
"That's a lot of Merries packaging material here!"
"Machines handle the bagging of diapers and the packing of products into cartons. The staff is not allowed to touch the diapers to prevent contamination and to maintain cleanliness."
"Look! The packed diapers are rolling out!"
"They are weighed to ensure the correct quantity has been packed."
"Oh, so that's how the quantity is verified."
"Yes. Finally, they are passed through metal detectors to check for foreign matter."
"What kind of foreign matter?"
"Usually they are powder-like substances caused by friction with paper. There are also video monitors on the production line to constantly check if any small metal and foreign matter have been accidentally mixed in, or to detect anything unusual about the production."
"After that, stringent checks are conducted on the serial numbers and production dates. Each package has a serial number, so when a customer calls, we can immediately identify information such as its production date and the supervisor in charge at that time, etc."
"That means the supervisor shoulders a heavy responsibility!"
"Certainly! In order to manufacture products that are safe for babies to use, there is absolutely no room for negligence in the entire production process."
"Now all that is left is to ship them out."
"A 20-tonne truck will be loaded with about 800 cartons of diapers for delivery. Note how close the back of the truck is to the entrance of the factory. This is to prevent bugs and other potential contaminants from entering the production line."
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