Hyundai partners with Air Liquide Medical Systems to produce ventilators

Hyundai Motor India (HMI) has entered into a partnership with Air Liquide Medical Systems Pvt Ltd (ALMS), a manufacturer of ICU ventilators.

The partnership will augment the production and supply of ventilators in Tamil Nadu and other states.
 

With this partnership, HMI and ALMS plan to achieve a target of 1000 ventilators in Phase 1 of production, and to scale up subsequently.
 

Ventilators are medical devices used by healthcare professionals that take over the work of breathing from patients, who are unable to breathe on their own, by delivering air with a high concentration of oxygen to their lungs. Patients, severely affected by Covid-19, need ventilators to overcome respiratory insufficiency, said the company.

 

“Ventilators and other respiratory aids are critical devices in the fight against Covid-19 and to this end, Hyundai & Air Liquide Medical Systems are working together to ensure a steady supply of Ventilators in India. As a Socially Responsible and Caring Brand, Hyundai is committed to serving society in every way and will continue to support the Government in India’s war against Covid-19,” said SS Kim, MD & CEO, Hyundai Motor India Ltd.
 

“As a company that engages in supporting the healthcare professionals and systems worldwide, we have initiated a prompt response towards the fight against Covid-19 in support of the Government of India," said Anil Kumar, MD, Air Liquide Medical Systems, India.

"This strategic tie up with Air Liquide to provide ventilators to hospitals and government establishments will help us in our fight against Covid-19 which is today’s biggest threat to the human race. Hyundai will not rest and is fully committed to put all efforts to eradicate this problem to make a happy and healthy society," said Ganesh Mani, director- production at Hyundai Motor India.

Mani further said, "We plan to ramp up ventilator production by Air Liquide Medical to 1,000 units per month soon."

He added that the company had developed a third prototype of mechanical ambu bag actuator, or an automated ambu bag, and had sent it to the Tamil Nadu government for approval.

Ambu bag actuators, or bag valve masks, are manual resuscitators used in medical emergencies, as first aid where automatic ventilators are not available.

“The demand for ventilators is increasing due to the spread of coronavirus in the country. In order to avoid the a shortage of ventilators, we thought of looking at alternatives and decided to automate the manual or the ambu bag actuator," said Mani.