Some positive news to start what’s likely to be another very difficult week: our friends in the Aerospace & Defence industry, led by Meggitt, and joined by automobile manufacturers Nissan and McLaren, have joined forces in a consortium to accelerate the design of a new UK-built medical ventilator.
The FT reported they are “catapulting” manufacturing to build a new prototype by the end of this week; we’ll report back on their progress.
Dick Elsy, chief executive of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, is leading the project which hopes to produce 5,000 ventilators ASAP with the possibility of another 30,000 to meet the sudden demand.
Other companies have also shown interest in joining the initiative, including Unipart, JCB and aircraft engine maker Rolls-Royce.
The consortium was formed after the conference call between PM, Boris Johnson, and 60 of the UK’s leading manufacturers to discuss emergency production of medical equipment amid the Covid-19 crisis.
More information on the FT story here.
