Avon masks win UK ‘mankind’ award

London – Avon Rubber has won a UK award for developing “polymers in service of mankind”, according to a company press release.

The Prince Philip Award of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) is offered every two years and Avon Rubber was selected “largely for its 100 years of respiratory protection development.”

Avon started making rubber gas masks shortly after the introduction of chemical warfare agents during the First World War.

According to Avon, more than two million people are using Avon’s masks today.

IOM3 is a UK membership organisation which promotes and develops materials science, engineering and associated technologies in the materials, minerals and mining community.