Ventec Life Systems and General Motors have delivered more than 20,000 ventilators they built together at a GM plant, and GM plans to turn over production to the medtech company once their federal contract is completed, Ventec announced this week.
Production of Ventec’s V+Pro critical care ventilators at the Kokomo, Ind., GM plant began in April, with delivery to the Strategic National Stockpile to help COVID-19 patients. GM and Ventec have a $489.4 million contract from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to ship 30,000 machines by the end of August.
As demand for critical care ventilators continues with the spread of COVID-19, GM has agreed to hand off control of production at the Kokomo plant to Ventec, which said it will continue expanded production at its headquarters in Bothell, Wash.
“During this pandemic, ventilators are a key resource in the public health safety net to ensure the right ventilator is available at the right time for COVID-19 patients in respiratory distress,” added GM spokesperson Daniel Flores in an email to MassDevice.
The GM and Ventec effort has involved sourcing hundreds of parts and assemblies from suppliers, designing a new manufacturing process, transforming GM’s Kokomo factory, the hiring of more than 1,000 plant workers, and implementing extensive workplace health and safety protocols.
Ventec said this week it is working quickly to fulfill ongoing ventilator orders.
