Vyaire Medical and Spirit Aerosystems (NYSE:SPR) announced today that they are partnering to build critical care ventilators amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a temporary partnership, Vyaire is slated to ramp up production of its critical care ventilators at Spirit’s Wichita, Kan.-based converted manufacturing facility. The agreement adds to Vyaire’s already-accelerated production, as the Chicago-based company received a $407.9 million government contract to manufacture 22,000 ventilators by June 29.
According to a news release, Spirit has expertise in building at high production rates with an experienced workforce and already-prepared supply chain to support the conversion to medical device manufacturing. The collaboration’s production system is already being designed and the teams are readying the facilities for approximately 700 Spirit employees to join the project as production increases.
In total, the companies expect more than 1,000 workers, with 300 from Vyaire, to work at facilities in California and Kansas to manufacture ventilators.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has upended our way of life, but this is our opportunity to meet the needs of the American people with this partnership,” Vyaire CEO Gaurav Agarwal said in the news release. “Spirit’s breadth of technical capability, manufacturing prowess and skilled workforce make them ideally suited to support us in scaling our operations to meet this unprecedented demand. On behalf of the entire Vyaire team, I welcome the professionals from Spirit who join us in this cause and extend a deep appreciation for the job they will undertake at this critical time.”
“This collaboration is an opportunity for Spirit to help at a time when our nation needs it most,” added Spirit president & CEO Tom Gentile. “We are honored to bring our industrial capabilities and skilled workforce to help Vyaire scale up quickly to produce much-needed ventilators during this pandemic.”