Ventilator Challenge UK, a consortium of UK aerospace, motorsport, automotive and medical businesses including GKN on the Isle of Wight, has concluded its work to deliver ventilators to the NHS during the coronavirus pandemic.
Formed on 19th March in response to the anticipated escalation in COVID-19 cases, the consortium has worked with great determination and energy to deliver critical Penlon ESO 2 and Smiths paraPACTM+ ventilators to the NHS throughout the crisis.
Teams across the country, including here in East Cowes, have been working to more than double the stock of ventilators available to the NHS.
In total, 7 new large-scale manufacturing facilities were built within days at Airbus AMRC Cymru in Broughton, Ford in Dagenham, GKN Aerospace in Luton and East Cowes, McLaren in Woking, Rolls-Royce in Filton and STI in Hook, with the restructuring of existing sites Smiths Medical in Luton and Penlon in Abingdon.
Ventilator production exceeded 400 devices a day at the peak of the virus, with the shortest time taken to achieve 1,000 ventilators being just 3 days.
Ventilator Challenge UK made its last shipment of finished ventilators on Sunday (5th July) and as a result consortium businesses are now returning to regular production.
Dick Elsy, Chairman of VentilatorChallengeUK and CEO of High Value Manufacturing Catapult, said:
“What VentilatorChallengeUK has achieved in the space of twelve weeks is nothing short of incredible, creating and producing an approved product and setting up production facilities on this scale would normally take years. I am immensely proud of the energy, determination and ingenuity shown by every business in responding to this national need.
“Together, we have helped ensure the NHS has always had access to the number of ventilators it needs, and we’re pleased to have also contributed to building a resilient stock should ventilators be required in the UK in the future.
“This coalition of the very best of this country’s people and capability across different sectors has truly showcased the strength of the manufacturing industry in the UK. While we have now delivered all the required ventilators to the NHS, the Consortium is looking to capture lessons learned and share them across the engineering community – and with Government – as key tools to help UK industry get back on its feet after the COVID19 pandemic has passed.”
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove, said:
“The Ventilator Challenge has been a great success and I would like to thank every manufacturer and designer, and their incredible workforces, for the huge part they’ve played in the national effort to protect our NHS and save lives. In around three months, industry has stepped up to make 14,000 new machines to save lives on the NHS frontline and to help safeguard against any future outbreak.
“The Ventilator Challenge has shown that UK manufacturing always rises to the challenge at a time of national need. Everyone involved is truly a hero of the coronavirus crisis.”
Interesting report, within the Island another company had turned over production of it’s high end CNC machine tools to meet the demand for both the Penlon and Smiths Medical as part of the Rolls Royce consortium, whilst meeting the needs of other suppliers into the medical market. The Island has shown how quickly we can move with the engineering skill set we have here.
Great post JDK, i can’t add anything else but praise for the companies involved.