(Image courtesy of Ventec)
Ventec Life Systems and General Motors announced today that they completed their government contract to produce 30,000 ventilators.
The two companies kicked off mass production of Ventec’s V+Pro critical care ventilator at GM’s Kokomo, Ind., plant in April, having received a $489.4 million contract from the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services to deliver 30,000 ventilators by the end of August amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Following yesterday’s shipment to complete the delivery, GM has formally turned over operational control of the Kokomo manufacturing operation to Ventec, which will produce its VOCSN multi-function critical care ventilators there and in Bothell, Washington, to continue to meet demand for ventilators as the COVID-19 pandemic roars on.
Ventec’s monthly ventilator production increased by 80 times during the pandemic, the company said in a news release.
“Our drive to put critical care ventilators into production was fueled by thousands of people at GM, Ventec and our suppliers who all wanted to do their part to help save lives during the pandemic,” GM chairman & CEO Mary Barra said in the release. “It was inspiring to see so many people achieve so much so quickly.”
“Our hope continues to be that mitigation efforts stop the spread of this virus,” added Ventec CEO Chris Kiple. “Ventec Life Systems is committed to maintaining increased production capacity for as long as it is needed to ensure frontline healthcare workers have the tools necessary to save lives. We are incredibly proud of how our teams came together united by a common mission.”