Electronics firm Foxconn to produce ventilators with Medtronic

Foxconn, a renowned Taiwanese electronics manufacturer, has reportedly announced its plans to produce ventilators in collaboration with a leading U.S. healthcare device firm, Medtronic Plc, to treat the patients infected by the COVID-19 outbreak. 

Foxconn, which was previously known as Hon Hai Precision Industry, is known across the world for assembling iPhones in factories located in China.

A statement released by the company stated that it was currently coordinating with the U.S. firm to develop ventilators, and technical and medical personnel from both companies are working closely on the project. 

Both companies expect to increase their manufacturing speed so these ventilators can be operational as soon as possible, the statement added

Chief Executive Officer of Medtronic, Omar Ishrak stated that Foxconn’s Wisconsin facility would be utilized to produce the ventilators.

Ishrak further added that the company plans to produce ventilators in the coming four to six weeks. The company is operating 24/7 with Foxconn to start the manufacturing of ventilators in the Wisconsin factory. The Taiwanese electronic giant has increasingly been producing face masks, to limit the coronavirus outbreak across China since February. 

Apart from Foxconn, other firms in the United States are working to produce ventilators as the COVID-19 spreads rapidly across the country. 

Automotive giant Tesla is also manufacturing one sub-component of the PB-980 ventilators of Medtronic while simultaneously working on another self-made ventilator design using its car components.

Apart from Tesla, Ford Motor Co, has also stepped up to support the treatment of the growing number of COVID-19 patients. The automotive firm in the week prior stated that it would manufacture 50,000 ventilators in the coming 100 days at one of its plants in Michigan along with General Electric’s health-care division and can further build about 30,000 ventilators each month as and when required to treat the growing number of patients of COVID-19 pandemic.

Source credit: http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/13281244