Viessmann produces ventilators, portable intensive care units, face masks and hand sanitiser to fight the Coronavirus
Responding to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, Viessmann has converted part of its production facilities in Germany to manufacture its own ventilators, mobile intensive care units, respiratory protective face masks and hand sanitiser.
Production lines of the German family business normally reserved for heating and cooling products have been transformed within days to make completely new products, while engineers have collaborated with clinicians and regulators to fast-track new medical equipment and employees have brainstormed and rolled out virus-beating innovations such as handless door-openers.
Viessmann has designed and developed a new modular intensive care unit, which could make a fundamental contribution to the care of seriously ill COVID-19 patients, building on expertise within its refrigeration solutions division, which manufactures cold rooms for a range of commercial applications. The modular intensive care unit can be set up quickly, both indoors, in exhibition halls or sports arenas, for example, and outdoors where there is appropriate cover.
Viessmann employees have created and manufactured disinfectant, hand sanitiser and high quality respiratory protective face masks, which are being donated to hospitals and care facilities in the vicinity of its Allendorf headquarters in Germany.
Also resulting from Viessmann’s employee idea scheme, which receives a nationally-leading 150,000 suggestions per year, is the so-called “personal door opener”. This is a simple but effective personal tool that allows employees to open doors while avoiding touching door handles with their hands. These are being produced on 3D printers in the Viessmann prototype manufacturing facility
Max Viessmann, Co-Chief Executive Officer at Viessmann, says: ” The way we deal with the Coronavirus crisis today, will determine how we remember this time in the future, hopefully with pride and the awareness of having achieved a new dimension of solidarity. It goes without saying, that we are aware of our social responsibility in times of crisis and that we are now strengthening it once again. The whole thing will only end when it is over for everyone – worldwide. Fighting the current pandemic requires cohesion, team spirit and creativity to make the best out of the current challenging situation. I experience these qualities every day with around 12,300 members of the Viessmann family. I am extremely proud of this.”