Arçelik continues its drive to meet mechanical ventilator demand for countries in need

Rhea-AI Summary

The University of Cambridge's Open Ventilator System Initiative team, partnered with Arçelik and its subsidiaries Beko and Defy, received The President's Special Award for Pandemic Service for creating affordable ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative led to the production of the Impilo ventilator, the first intensive care ventilator manufactured in Africa, aiming to support developing countries. Arçelik has produced 5,000 ventilators on a not-for-profit basis, with shipments to 18 countries, enhancing its commitment to global health initiatives.

Positive

• Received The President's Special Award for Pandemic Service.
• Produced 5,000 life-saving ventilators at no profit.
• First intensive care ventilator manufactured in Africa.
• Significant international demand met with ventilators shipped to 18 countries.

Negative

• None.

ISTANBUL, Aug. 25, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of Cambridge Open Ventilator System Initiative team, supported by Europe's leading consumer durables company Arçelik, with its subsidiaries Beko in the UK and Defy in South Africa, has received The President's Special Award for Pandemic Service. The award was presented by the Royal Academy of Engineering as a result of their efforts in manufacturing affordable ventilators for developing countries during the pandemic.

Awards given by the Royal Academy of Engineering seek to recognise and reward the very best engineering talent whose achievements make a huge impact on society.

Cambridge-based experts assembled a global manufacturing team comprising of Defy and Denel in South Africa, Prodrive and Beko in the UK and Arçelik in Turkey to develop a high-performance ventilator for manufacture in South Africa. The ventilator became the first intensive care ventilator to be manufactured in the continent.

The initiative brought together extensive research, design, manufacturing and testing capabilities to enable the mass production of cost-effective mechanical ventilators named Impilo at Defy's Jacobs factory in KwaZulu-Natal.

This project mirrors COVID-19 relief efforts undertaken by Arçelik, which, to date, has produced 5,000 life-saving mechanical ventilators at its electronics facility in Turkey on a not-for-profit basis, to meet both domestic and international demand. 2,607 of these ventilators have already been sent to 18 countries including some of the hardest hit African countries such as Somalia, Chad, Nigeria, Niger and Libya. Now, the advanced technology, manufacturing and supply chain capabilities of Arçelik and its brands are leveraged through the power of collaboration to help save more lives in countries in need and in particular, Africa.

Polat Şen, CFO of Arçelik, responsible of Sub-Saharan Africa operations, says: "We're honoured to have been involved in The Open Ventilator System Initiative alongside many talented academics, experts and engineers. It's a source of pride to be recognized with the Royal Engineering Academy Award, considering the potential impact of this initiative on hardly challenged developing countries. Our team has played a vital part in fighting coronavirus and the project should be held up as a model example of cross-industry collaboration. At Arçelik we want to be part of the solution; working collectively with businesses and governments to fight COVID-19 globally."

About Arçelik 
With over 30,000 employees throughout the world, 12 brands (Arçelik, Beko, Grundig, Blomberg, ElektraBregenz, Arctic, Leisure, Flavel, Defy, Altus, Dawlance, Voltas Beko), sales and marketing offices in 34 countries, and 23 production facilities in 9 countries, Arçelik offers products and services in more than 140 countries. As Europe's second largest white goods company according to market share ranking based on quantity, Arçelik reached a consolidated turnover of 5 billion Euros in 2019. With almost 70% of its profits coming from the international markets, Arçelik is the R&D leader in Turkey – holding more than 3,000 international patent applications to date with the efforts of 1,600 researchers in 15 R&D and Design Centers in Turkey and R&D Offices across five countries.

www.arcelikglobal.com

About Impilo:
Impilo is a full-function ventilator and can therefore be used whether a patient is sedated in an invasive mode, or requires assisted ventilation triggered by their own breathing while awake in non-invasive settings, and also with patient-triggered conditions.

Prototype versions of Impilo were developed under the specifications of the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the World Health Organisation's requirements for ventilators. Pre-production versions of the ventilator have been manufactured in the United Kingdom and are locally manufactured by Defy and Denel Land Systems. The production version is being fast-tracked by Defy Appliances and Denel Land System to ensure it is ready to be delivered in South Africa.

 

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SOURCE Arçelik

FAQ

What award did Arçelik receive for their ventilator initiative?

Arçelik received The President's Special Award for Pandemic Service for their efforts in manufacturing affordable ventilators.

How many ventilators has Arçelik produced during the pandemic?

Arçelik has produced 5,000 mechanical ventilators as part of their COVID-19 relief efforts.

What is the Impilo ventilator?

Impilo is a full-function ventilator designed for various patient needs, and it is the first intensive care ventilator manufactured in Africa.

Which countries have received Arçelik's ventilators?

Ventilators have been shipped to 18 countries, including Somalia, Chad, Nigeria, Niger, and Libya.

What is the significance of the Open Ventilator System Initiative?

The initiative aims to provide affordable ventilators to developing countries significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.