Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • European Rubber Journal
  • Plastics News
  • Tire Business
web
Subscribe
  • Login
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • Automotive
    • Tire
    • Non-Tire
    • Suppliers
    • Silicone
    • Latex
    • Coronavirus
    • Executive Action
    • Government/Legal
    • Opinion
    • Technical Notebooks
    • Women in Tire & Rubber
    • ITEC
    • International Elastomer Show
    • HEXPOL Sponsored Content
    • Sentury's 10-year global expansion strategy will include plants in North America, Europe
      Michelin, BFG, Uniroyal tire prices to increase again
      King Machine to invest $2.6 million in South Carolina plant expansion
      Bridgestone celebrating 90 years as a business in 2021
    • Sentury's 10-year global expansion strategy will include plants in North America, Europe
      Michelin, BFG, Uniroyal tire prices to increase again
      King Machine to invest $2.6 million in South Carolina plant expansion
      PQ Group Holdings sells Performance Chemicals segment for $1.1 billion
    • ARPM readies for 2021 Environmental Health and Safety Summit
      Continental invests in AI company
      To boost U.S. microchip production, Biden administration must find supply chains weaknesses
      USTMA, NAM among associations backing passage of Equality Act
    • New Products: Mahr Inc. introduces MarForm MMQ 500 Form Tester
      Parker hose business honors Beaver Manufacturing with supplier award
      PQ Group Holdings sells Performance Chemicals segment for $1.1 billion
      Sibur set to launch production at new halobutyl rubber facility
    • Stockwell Elastomerics' legacy moves on
      Larger mixers tout economies of scale, along with the need for speed
      Hexpol, Bloom deal with COVID, reorganization, fire since start of 2020
      Small, mid-size compounders keep value, agility, service 'in the mix'
    • Ohio firm focuses on making better masks in U.S.
      U.S. to increase NBR, make gloves using Defense Production Act
      Tire Cologne canceled; rescheduled for 2022
      Tire Technology Expo canceled for 2021
    • Davis-Standard promotes Andrew Alaya to aftermarket sales role
      Harwick Standard adds Flores to West Coast sales team
      GM promotes Siemen to lead sustainability; Parker to retire
      9 Goodyear-Cooper Tire stories you may have missed
    • To boost U.S. microchip production, Biden administration must find supply chains weaknesses
      TIA among associations against increase to minimum wage
      9 Goodyear-Cooper Tire stories you may have missed
      Cooper recalling 430,000+ whitewall LT tires in multiple brands
    • Column: Discussions of race, equality may mean uncomfortable moments
      Column: Business trips possible because of essential workers
      Editorial: Associations see opportunity for progress under new administration
      Editorial: Against a backdrop of turmoil, M&A deals give glimpse of normalcy
    • Studying RPA ASTM methods for detecting compound quality differences
      Damage mechanism in oil and gas formulations during downhole testing
      Advancements in synchronous drive belt design for industrial and consumer markets
      Effects of multiple repurposed materials for reinforcements of standard rubber compounds
    • Rubber Division introduces WORD webinar series
      WORD panelists say evolution, authenticity keys to success
      New video celebrates women in rubber industry
      ITEC panelists say women can thrive in tire industry
    • Goodyear recognized by Lockheed Martin as 'elite supplier'
      EV tire advancements to help secure future
      Lambillotte: Only question on AVs is timing
      CAR official says EV future brighter than autonomous
    • Rubber Division introduces WORD webinar series
      Rubber Division seeks abstracts for 200th Technical Meeting
      WORD panelists say evolution, authenticity keys to success
      IEC keynote: Communication key to logistics
    • Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Faster Access to Your Polymer Compounding Experts Around the World
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Take a walk thru a HEXPOL Lab
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      HEXPOL offers a unique selection of High Performance Elastomers to match your application requirements
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      It’s what you can’t see that makes the Difference at HEXPOL
  • Blogs
    • Products
    • Wacky World of Rubber
    • New Products: Mahr Inc. introduces MarForm MMQ 500 Form Tester
      New Products: Starrett expands field-of-view for multi-sensor vision system
      New Products: Nova thinks outside the box with sealing tech
      New Products: MonTech introduces 1,500 kN lab press
    • Wacky World of Rubber: How Trelleborg, teens sealed a spot in the world record book
      Wacky World of Rubber: Of chicken and feet, but not chicken feet
      Wacky World of Rubber: Time to go mattress shopping
      Wacky World of Rubber: Because nothing says football like 'frunk' shrimp
  • Newsletters
    • Rubber in Automotive
    • Silicone News
    • Latex News
    • Sign Up for Newsletters
    • Sentury's 10-year global expansion strategy will include plants in North America, Europe
      Michelin, BFG, Uniroyal tire prices to increase again
      King Machine to invest $2.6 million in South Carolina plant expansion
      Bridgestone celebrating 90 years as a business in 2021
    • Stockwell Elastomerics' legacy moves on
      Larger mixers tout economies of scale, along with the need for speed
      Hexpol, Bloom deal with COVID, reorganization, fire since start of 2020
      Small, mid-size compounders keep value, agility, service 'in the mix'
    • Sri Trang Gloves starts major capacity expansion
      Synthomer dismisses takeover reports
      Combined Goodyear-Cooper Tire company has tire technology, sustainability edge
      Helixtap launches new digital marketplace for rubber
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Photo Galleries
  • Directory
  • Resources
    • Classifieds & Mold Mart
    • Sponsored Content
    • White Papers
    • HB Chemical
      Sponsored By HB Chemical
      The HB Chemical and Ravago Partnership: Taking Customer Service to a New Level
      Sponsored By HB Chemical
      Above and Beyond with HB Chemical
      Sponsored By HB Chemical
      The Company Behind the Inventory
      Sponsored By French Oil Mill Machinery
      Process Improvement, Cost Reduction with Custom Press Systems
    • Sponsored By Uncountable Inc.
      Labs of the Future: How to Choose a Laboratory Information Management System in 2021
      Sponsored By Uncountable Inc.
      Cooper Standard deploys lab informatics platform to synchronize R&D
      Sponsored By Elkem
      LSR Selectâ„¢: A solution to improve your financial impact in molding applications
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Peroxide Cureable Silicone Injection Molding
  • Data
  • Events
    • RPN Events
    • RPN Livestreams/Webinars
    • Industry Events
    • Past Events
    • ITEC Library
    • International Silicone Conference Library
    • 2021 Healthcare Elastomers Virtual Edition
      2021 Rubber in Automotive Virtual Edition
      2021 International Latex Conference Virtual Edition
      2022 ITEC
  • Advertise
  • DIGITAL EDITION
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Coronavirus
March 22, 2020 07:18 PM

GM suppliers preparing to manufacture parts for ventilators

Dustin Walsh
Crain's Detroit Business
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    Michael McCrady, Rubber & Plastics News

    The "Arsenal of Health" is mobilizing.

    Parts suppliers for General Motors Co. are preparing to manufacture parts for at least 200,000 ventilators in an effort to stave off a projected shortage of the machines in the fight against the deadly respiratory illness COVID-19.

    Southfield, Mich.-based Meridian Lightweight Technologies Holdings Inc. is helping GM procure six different ventilator compressor parts made of magnesium for an estimated 200,000 ventilators, said Joe Petrillo, director of North American sales for Meridian.

    The parts are too small for Meridian's machines, but it's connected GM with Twin City Die Castings Inc. in Minneapolis and Myotek, which operates manufacturing plants in Manistee, Mich., and China.

    Fenton, Mich.-based Creative Foam Corp. plans to start manufacturing foam parts for ventilators as part of the GM response, said Phil Fioravante, chairman and CEO. The company expects to begin shipping parts as soon as this week, Fioravante said.

    "We coalesced as an industry," Petrillo said. "Usually we (Meridian, Twin City and Myotek) compete, but in this circumstance, we're not competitors."

    The Society of Critical Care Medicine projects that 960,000 coronavirus patients may become critically ill in the U.S. and need to be put on ventilators. The organization estimates there are only about 200,000 ventilators in the country.

    Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Friday the State Emergency Operations Center is working to find creative ways to bring more ventilators to Michigan. It's estimated the state has only 1,000 right now.

    "We are working to see how we can increase the number of ventilators in our state," Whitmer said. "I feel like we are making some progress, but if the federal government is able to procure some ventilators and ship them to Michigan we will be incredibly grateful."

    President Trump tweeted Sunday, "Ford, General Motors and Tesla are being given the go ahead to make ventilators and other metal products, FAST! Go for it auto execs, lets see how good you are?"

    Representatives from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency and the White House did not immediately provide an answer as to whether the U.S. government was going to buy the additional ventilators.

    Meanwhile, Petrillo said the plans to start production as early as tomorrow were being sent this afternoon.

    "We're off and running. The tool shops are designing tools right now," Mytek CEO Eric Showalter said. "We're able to at least start to kick off tools in China to build these things. If we get paid, we get paid. We're all just trying to help where we can."

    GM said March 20 that it partnered with Bothell, Wash.-based Ventec Life Systems to increase production of its ventilators. Ventec will leverage GM's logistics, purchasing and manufacturing prowess, the auto maker said.

    It's unclear whether GM is establishing another assembly line at Ventec's production plant or manufacturing the additional ventilators at one of its plants.

    GM declined to confirm its plans, but has "teams hard at work," Jim Cain, senior manager of sales and executive communications, told Crain's in an email.

    Magna International has also been contacted to manufacture ventilator parts and is "currently investigating possibilities," confirmed Tracy Fuerst, vice president of corporate communications for the world's largest supplier, which has offices in Troy, Mich., and several plants in the state.

    So has Auburn Hills, Mich.-based powertrain parts supplier BorgWarner Inc.

    "We have been approached and are currently evaluating if we can support the effort out of our facilities," Michelle Collins, manager of marketing, told Crain's in an email.

    Several other suppliers were contacted for comment, but did not immediately respond.

    Other Michigan industries are also gearing up to battle the novel coronavirus.

    Michigan's beverage distilleries began shifting last week from making spirits from grain alcohol to bacteria-killing hand sanitizer for consumers and bulk customers, such as municipalities and health care institutions.

    Whitmer said March 20 that Midland-based Dow Inc. may join the effort to resupply health care professionals with personal protection equipment and medical supplies.

    "Dow is working on manufacturing solutions, too," Whitmer said at a news conference.

    Dow has been talking with state officials and federal regulators on how to bring needed PPE products to market, company spokeswoman Rachelle Schikorra told Crain's.

    "Dow serves several markets critical to managing the coronavirus pandemic including pharmaceutical and health ingredients, textile supplies for applications such as masks and gowns, and more," Schikorra said Saturday in an email. "We have had conversations with state officials pledging our support to provide critical product needs and are in discussion with the Food & Drug Administration on the regulatory waivers necessary to expedite the process and timing."

    Crain's Detroit senior editor Chad Livengood contributed to this report.

    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Rubber & Plastics News wants to hear from its readers. If you want to express your opinion on a story or issue, email your letter to Editor Bruce Meyer at [email protected].

    SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Rubber & Plastics News delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    Subscribe Today

    Subscribe to Rubber & Plastics News to get the best coverage and leading insights in the industry.

    SUBSCRIBE
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    MISSION

    To serve companies in the global rubber product industry by delivering news, industry insights, opinions and technical information.

    web
    Contact Us

    2291 Riverfront Pkwy, Suite 1000
    Cuyahoga Falls,
    OH 44221

    Customer Service:
    877-320-1726

    Resources
    • About Us
    • Digital Edition
    • Contact the Staff
    • Advertise
    • Order Reprints
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    • Terms of Service
    • Careers
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Partner Sites
    • Tire Business
    • European Rubber Journal
    • Plastics News
    • Plastics News China
    • Urethanes Technology
    • Automotive News
    • Crain Brands
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Automotive
      • Tire
      • Non-Tire
      • Suppliers
      • Silicone
      • Latex
      • Coronavirus
      • Executive Action
      • Government/Legal
      • Opinion
      • Technical Notebooks
      • Women in Tire & Rubber
      • ITEC
      • International Elastomer Show
      • HEXPOL Sponsored Content
    • Blogs
      • Products
      • Wacky World of Rubber
    • Newsletters
      • Rubber in Automotive
      • Silicone News
      • Latex News
      • Sign Up for Newsletters
    • Multimedia
      • Videos
      • Photo Galleries
    • Directory
    • Resources
      • Classifieds & Mold Mart
      • Sponsored Content
      • White Papers
    • Data
    • Events
      • RPN Events
      • RPN Livestreams/Webinars
      • Industry Events
      • Past Events
      • ITEC Library
      • International Silicone Conference Library
    • Advertise
    • DIGITAL EDITION