Zoll Medical Corp is taking steps to increase manufacturing capacity to 10,000 ventilators per month in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which would be nearly a 25-fold expansion in production.
Zoll currently manufactures two ventilators: the Z Vent for the EMS and hospital markets, and the EMV+, which has been the preferred transport ventilator of the US Department of Defense for more than 10 years. The devices are designed for ease of use, portability, and durability, according to the company.
“Ventilators are complex, integrated medical devices comprising hundreds of individually tested parts,” said Zoll CEO Jon Rennert. “We have always strived to build the highest-quality portable ventilators on the market. We are now also focused on volume.”
The company has reached out to its supply base, most of which is in the United States, to enlist their support in meeting the new demand.
“As we strive to meet the increased demand, we have the benefit of a large, highly trained workforce and a state-of-the-art factory,” said Zoll CEO Jon Rennert, “and are prepared to expand our supply base as necessary. We have received many unsolicited offers of help from not just medical companies, but industries including aerospace, automotive, and information technology. We look forward to working with the US government and private industry collaborators to meet this urgent need.”
Zoll’s ventilators are equipped with an internal filtration system to keep the interior airway free of contamination, and they can be used with bacterial/viral filters, chemical/biological filters, and heat and moisture exchanging filters to further protect patients and providers.
