Italian automakers Ferrari and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles are helping the nation’s biggest ventilator manufacturer to boost production of the life-saving machines that are urgently needed in the coronavirus crisis.
Italy is still at the epicenter of the pandemic and its government continues to embark on a big expansion of the number of intensive care beds, many of which will require ventilators to keep patients alive by taking over breathing functions.
Siare Engineering in northern Italy is working with Fiat Chrysler, Ferrari and Italian partsmaker Marelli to make some parts, source others and to possibly help with the assembly of ventilators. Gianluca Preziosa, Siare’s chief executive, said the two industries share some expertise, with both the ventilator business and automakers relying heavily on electronics as well as pneumatics. Ferrari has started manufacturing ventilator parts in its Maranello headquarters, which is close to the Siare factory.
Ventilators, which move air in and out of the lungs, could be the difference between life and death for coronavirus patients suffering breathing difficulties. The idea of using automakers to supply medical equipment got started in China, where electric car maker BYD earlier this month began turning out 5 million face masks and 300,000 bottles of hand sanitizer a day. The Shenzhen-based automaker is backed by U.S. investor Warren Buffett.
Since then the idea has spread to other industries and countries.
Here is the news report from the Italian media:
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