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A number of European OEMs are formulating responses to
government requests to help with equipment to deal with the
coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) virus outbreak. According to a
Reuters report, the German government has asked the country's
carmakers to help with manufacturing ventilators and masks as the
government looks to tap into the immense resources available for
design, engineering and manufacturing that exists in these
organisations. A spokesperson for the German government's economy
ministry said, "This is a company decision. Companies have to take
the decision themselves." The Volkswagen (VW) Group released a
press statement on 20 March that they will be providing about
200,000 FFP-2 and FFP-3 protective masks for public health
protection 'in the near future', in the first material delivery of
health equipment by an OEM. The project is being undertaken with
close co-operation with the German Federal Minister of Health Jens
Spahn. Commenting on the move VW board member for HR Gunnar Kilian
said, "Solidarity take priority for Volkswagen. This principle also
applies beyond the factory gate. People working in the public
health sector are currently performing outstanding services to
society. We are convinced that these face masks will be put to the
best use by them. The opinion of the Board of Management is
unanimous: Volkswagen is pleased to provide unbureaucratic
support." In addition, VW has said it has assembled a working group
to look at ways it can use its 3D printing technology to help
manufacture essential medical equipment to help counter the
outbreak. VW said it could potentially start production when it
received existing designs and blueprints for ventilators. VW is
also building production capacity for protective masks in China,
and is supporting the German efforts against the outbreak with the
supply thermometers masks, disinfectants and diagnostic equipment.
Daimler is also looking at ways it can support the German
government's efforts.
In the UK companies have formed a consortium to help with the
design and production of ventilators with a plan to start
production in four weeks Nissan and McLaren are involved in the
project with aerospace engineering company Meggit. Nissan is said
to be focused on helping expanding the production of existing
ventilator designs, while McLaren is looking at designing and
building a new, simplified ventilator design that could feasibly be
put into production in as little as four weeks. In Italy Fiat
Chrysler Automotive (FCA) and Ferrari have been in discussions with
Siare engineering, the country's biggest ventilator manufacturer,
over the possibility of expanding production.
Outlook and implications
Europe's OEMs helping to design and manufacture medical
ventilators would have been an unthinkable state of affairs just a
month ago, but such is the increasingly serious and rapid nature of
the COVID-19 virus outbreak, manufacturers are now looking at the
ways they can best respond to government requests. The UK
government is concerned especially that its stock of 5,000-8,000
ventilators is not adequate, and this has been at the heart of the
initiative. UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock said one version of a
ventilator made by the consortium of non-medical equipment
manufacturers is already being tested and demonstrated. He said,
"More than half a dozen companies have already made one in
prototype, to check with us that we are happy with the quality." It
makes sense that the smaller, nimbler organisations like McLaren
are looking at new design and engineering work while volume OEMs
such as Nissan are looking to help to expand capacity. There will
be a positive PR dividend for the companies involved, although they
are undoubtedly doing it for selfless reasons, and this will not be
a negative as and when the industry starts to get back to
normal.
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