Automakers jump in to produce oxygen in the battle against coronavirus

Maruti to shut plant, Hyundai to set up oxygen manufacturing units at hospital

Maruti Suzuki, the country’s largest carmaker, will shut its manufacturing units in Haryana to make oxygen for medical needs, the company said in a stock exchange filing.
 
Suzuki Motor, the parent, has decided to shut its manufacturing unit in Gujarat, Maruti Suzuki added.
 
Hyundai, the second-largest carmaker, said it would set up oxygen-generating plants in various hospitals.
 

The company advanced its annual maintenance shutdown to May 1 through May 9 from an earlier plan of June, Maruti Suzuki said, adding that it was committed to support the government in diverting oxygen for saving lives.
 
“As part of the car-manufacturing process, Maruti Suzuki uses a small amount of oxygen in its factories while relatively large quantities are used by manufacturers of components. In the current situation, we believe that all available oxygen should be used to save lives,” Maruti Suzuki said in a press release.

 
Hyundai will invest Rs 20 crore to improve infrastructure. “The main aim is to make hospitals become self-sufficient in oxygen and eventually help critical patients. In addition to this, HMIF has also announced helping support staff to different hospitals, install medi care facilities, and even take up the operational costs if needed,” the company said.
 
Maruti Suzuki does not use industrial oxygen for production but its vendors, including steelmakers, make use of the life-supporting gas for manufacturing purposes.
 
“We ourselves are small users of oxygen. Our vendors who make various components are much larger users of oxygen,” Bhargava said.