GM has completed its first Ventec ventilators under the U.S. government contract.

Thus far, GM has completed the first few dozen production ventilators. GM offered images showing racks filled with the new vents*. GM says, “More than 600 ventilators will be shipped this month, almost half the order will be filled by the end of June and the full order will be completed by the end of August. GM has the capacity to build more ventilators after August if needed.”

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Workers build the first production ventilators at the General Motors manufacturing facility in Kokomo, Indiana, Tuesday, April 14, 2020. GM and Ventec Life Systems are partnering to produce Ventec critical care ventilators in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by AJ Mast for General Motors)

Said White House Assistant to the President Peter Navarro: “GM has moved swiftly in Trump time to manufacture one of the most critical lifesaving devices in America’s war against the coronavirus. GM’s rapid mobilization of America’s manufacturing might in defense of our country is a proud salute to the ingenuity of its engineers, the true grit of its UAW workers on the line, and America’s doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals fighting for our lives at the front lines. As these lifesaving ventilators roll off GM’s assembly line as fast as tanks once did in an earlier World War, they will be rapidly deployed to the hospitals of Gary, Chicago, and far beyond.”

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Workers build the first production ventilators at the General Motors manufacturing facility in Kokomo, Indiana, Monday, April 13, 2020. GM and Ventec Life Systems are partnering to produce Ventec critical care ventilators in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by AJ Mast for General Motors)

The Ventec ventilator manufacturing partnership involved GM sourcing hundreds of parts and assemblies from suppliers; the design of a new manufacturing process; the repurposing of GM’s Kokomo factory; the ongoing hiring of more than 1,000 union team members; and the implementation of extensive life-safety protocols to protect workers from COVID-19 in the workplace. GM added that it had strong support from the leadership of the United Auto Workers, including the UAW-GM Department and UAW Local 292.

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Workers build the first production ventilators at the General Motors manufacturing facility in Kokomo, Indiana, Monday, April 13, 2020. GM and Ventec Life Systems are partnering to produce Ventec critical care ventilators in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by AJ Mast for General Motors)

“Thousands of men and women at GM, Ventec, our suppliers and the Kokomo community have rallied to support their neighbors and the medical professionals on the front lines of this pandemic,” said GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra. “Everyone wants to help turn the tide and save lives. It is inspiring and humbling to see the passion and commitment people have put into this work.”

In addition to ventilators, GM is also manufacturing thousands of level-1 surgical masks. For more on that story, please see our prior article.

The full scope of the current project is a 30,000-unit order from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. GM-Trucks.com will follow this story closely as deliveries begin to be made.

*GM-Trucks.com reached out GM communications team for clarification on how many vents were completed as of today and were told “dozens.”