General Motors Helping Ventilator Maker Boost Production During Coronavirus Crisis


General Motors Corp. Chairman and CEO Mary Barra is making good on her offer to use the company’s resources to help produce much needed ventilators for treating COVID-19 patients.

In a joint statement Friday night, GM and Ventec Life Systems, cooperating with StopTheSpread.org, the private sector response to COVID-19, said they are collaborating to boost production of Ventec ventilators.

“We are working closely with Ventec to rapidly scale up production of their critically important respiratory products to support our country’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Barra in the statement. “We will continue to explore ways to help in this time of crisis.”

According to the joint statement, Bothell, Wash.-based Ventec will “leverage GM’s logistics, purchasing and manufacturing expertise” to build additional ventilators.

“By tapping their expertise, GM is enabling us to get more ventilators to more hospitals much faster. This partnership will help save lives,” said Chris Kiple, Ventec CEO in the statement.

A quote attributed to StopTheSpread.org said the organization is grateful for the partnership between GM and Ventec saying, “This is a vital step in delivering relief to our healthcare system, which is threatened by the spread of COVID-19.”

On Wednesday, Barra and executives from other automakers met with top White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow. Later that day on Fox News, Kudlow said at least one of the automakers had offered to produce ventilators in their plants idled by the coronavirus pandemic. GM later confirmed to Forbes.com it was Barra. Ford Motor Co. said it would also be willing to help.

Ventec Life Systems produces the VOCSN which it says is the only multi-function ventilator and, according to its website “VOCSN is in a unique position to treat patients with COVID-19 and associated respiratory failure by providing life-saving therapy across the continuum of care, from high flow oxygen therapy to non-invasive ventilation to invasive ventilation, while also providing secretion clearance and medication delivery.”

A source familiar with the situation confirmed to Forbes.com GM had been in talks with Ventec for several days exploring way the automaker could assist the company in overcoming challenges to boosting the number of ventilators it could build. According to the source that could include using GM’s leverage with suppliers to loosen possible bottlenecks in acquiring necessary parts along with offering any manufacturing expertise of benefit to Ventec’s efforts.

 

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coronavirusCovid-19 pandemicGeneral MotorsHealthVentilator

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