10,000 respirators in 50 days to save lives
Faced with the urgent need for ventilators to treat the patients most severely affected by COVID-19, Air Liquide, Groupe PSA, Schneider Electric, Valeo took up the challenge of producing 10.000 ventilators Air Liquide Medical Systems (ALMS) between April and mid-May, in response to a request from the French Government. While its subsidiary Air Liquide Medical Systems (ALMS) had already begun tripling its production capacity to produce 1.000 first ventilators, Air Liquide is coordinating a working group with Groupe PSA, Schneider Electric, Valeo to meet French government's request to deliver a total of 10.000 ventilators in 50 days. The challenge is immense. It is about securing the supply of the 300 components that make up the ventilators, reorganizing the production workshops particularly at Air Liquide Medical Systems, and mobilizing a sufficient number of operators, in record time. The mobilization of the 4 major groups is exceptional, each contributing its own expertise. Benoît Potier, Air Liquide Chairman and CEO, stated: "In a context where each new respirator produced can save a life, Air Liquide is currently tripling its production. Today, we have decided to go even further by taking up the challenge of producing 10,000 respirators in 50 days, with, gathered around the teams of Air Liquide, Groupe PSA, Valeo, Schneider Electric and many other partners. In the face of adversity, this approach illustrates the best of French industry, from major international champions to small and medium-sized businesses. It is an industrial challenge but also a human one. Teams of engineers, technicians and operators from different companies must be brought together around this exceptional project, and in record time. Air Liquide is very proud to contribute with all its strength to the national effort against COVID-19." Beyond the industrial challenge and as part of its commitment to solidarity with healthcare professionals and the authorities, Air Liquide will supply these respirators at cost price and without passing on the exceptional costs incurred by this unprecedented industrial program.