Reuters Insider - Global businesses pitch in to help battle coronavirus
19/03/2020 18:59
Click the following link to watch video: https://share.insider.thomsonreuters.com/link?entryId=0_04m256ja&referenceId=tag:reuters.com,2020:newsml_OVC5Q3T6Z_930&pageId=ReutersNews Source: Reuters Insider Description: Companies all over the world are joining in the battle against coronavirus, helping to make ventilators, face masks and hand sanitizer. Joe Davies reports. Short Link: https://tmsnrt.rs/33wnTFK Video Transcript: Companies all over the world are pitching in to help with the battle against the coronavirus outbreak. Hospital ventilators - which help patients breathe - are one priority. Britain's Meggitt, which produces oxygen systems for aircraft, is leading one consortium alongside engineers GKN, Thales and Renishaw. It's going to develop and produce ventilators in large volumes for Britain's state-run health service. Carmakers Nissan and McLaren are also looking at how they could help with production of a simplified ventilator. They're analyzing an existing model and looking at ways to develop a prototype quickly. Honda, Rolls Royce and other manufacturers have been urged by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to join the effort. A source said hundreds of companies have responded to the call for help and were hoping to have a production plan in place soon. Meanwhile, Ford and General Motors say they're in talks with White House officials about how they could support the production of medical equipment. Tesla's Elon Musk has offered to make ventilators in case of a shortage in the United States. But it's not just about tech. Companies such as Apple supplier Foxconn have refitted production lines to make face masks. Zara owner Inditex is also offering to help. It's planning to use textile manufacturing capacity in Spain to produce hospital gowns for health workers. Drinks firm Brewdog has also chipped in to help deal with the crisis. It's started work on making hand sanitizer at its distillery in Scotland. Luxury giant LVMH - owner of Louis Vuitton - is converting some perfume plants to do the same