GM Signs Contract to Build 30,000 Ventilators Under Defense Production Act
BERLIN - NOVEMBER 26: The logo of U.S. carmaker General Motors, or GM, is visible on the front grille of a GM Hydrogen 4 fuel cell-powered car at a presentation by Opel and GM on November 26, 2008 in Berlin, Germany. Opel, which is ownded by GM, has asked the German government for help in overcoming its difficulties resulting from the current financial crisis and the serious difficulties of GM. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
It’s official: General Motors has signed on to build 30,000 ventilators to help in the fight against the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
GM has inked a federal contract worth almost $490 million under the National Defense Production Act to build the ventilators in partnership with Ventec Life Systems, the Department of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday (April 8).
Those 30,000 ventilators will be delivered to the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile by the end of August 2020. Of those, GM is scheduled to deliver 6,132 ventilators by June 1, 2020.
Construction of the ventilators will start at the Kokomo Operations plant in Indiana as early as next week.
Ford recently announced it was teaming up with GE Healthcare to build 50,000 ventilators in the next 100 days. Ford’s ventilators will be constructed at the Rawsoville plant in Ypsilanti.
Anne Erickson started her radio career shortly after graduating from Michigan State University and has worked on-air in Detroit, Flint, Toledo, Lansing and beyond. As someone who absolutely loves rock, metal and alt music, she instantly fell in love with radio and hasn’t looked back. When she’s not working, Anne makes her own music with her band, Upon Wings, and she also loves cheering on her favorite Detroit and Michigan sports teams, especially Lions and MSU football. Anne is also an award-winning journalist, and her byline has run in a variety of national publications. You can also hear her weekends on WRIF.
