Grey Innovation delivers first ventilators to national stockpile

Thirty companies led by Victoria’s Grey Innovation have passed a new milestone delivering its first Notus invasive ventilators (pictured) used to treat Covid-19 to the National Medical Stockpile.

This shipment, and the rest to follow over coming weeks, comes only three months after the federal government inked a $31.3 million contract to produce 2,000 invasive ventilators.

When the pandemic hit there was no manufacturer of invasive ventilators in Australia, though non-invasive ventilators are manufactured by ResMed in Sydney.

Grey Innovation’s Executive Chairman Jefferson Harcourt said “We’ve got regulatory approval and now we’re manufacturing at speed.

“It’s incredibly gratifying to see the first of the 2,000 ventilators ordered being loaded onto the pallet for delivery to the national stockpile.

“We’re very proud to support the Government’s efforts to increase Australia’s ventilator capacity in the fight against COVID-19.”

Minister for Industry Karen Andrews said not only has the consortium produced much-needed medical equipment, Grey Innovation has been able to employ 22 engineers, wth 250 jobs created or retained across all suppliers.

Andrews said: “These ventilators are available to be sent anywhere they are needed in Australia and give us an impressive reserve capacity.

“Hopefully they won’t all be needed, but these machines will ensure that our hospitals are well equipped to withstand future surges in intensive care cases.”

The Grey Innovation consortium is supported by the Australian Government, the Victorian Government and Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre.

Picture: Grey Innovation

Subscribe to our free @AuManufacturing newsletter here.