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Detroit Coronavirus Information

GM Signs Contract to Build 30,000 Ventilators Under Defense Production Act

Anne Erickson April 8th, 2020
BERLIN - NOVEMBER 26: The logo of U.S. carmaker General Motors, or GM, is visible on the front grille of a GM Hydrogen 4 fuel cell-powered car at a presentation by Opel and GM on November 26, 2008 in Berlin, Germany. Opel, which is ownded by GM, has asked the German government for help in overcoming its difficulties resulting from the current financial crisis and the serious difficulties of GM. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

It’s official: General Motors has signed on to build 30,000 ventilators to help in the fight against the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

GM has inked a federal contract worth almost $490 million under the National Defense Production Act to build the ventilators in partnership with Ventec Life Systems, the Department of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday (April 8).

Those 30,000 ventilators will be delivered to the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile by the end of August 2020. Of those, GM is scheduled to deliver 6,132 ventilators by June 1, 2020.

Construction of the ventilators will start at the Kokomo Operations plant in Indiana as early as next week.

Ford recently announced it was teaming up with GE Healthcare to build 50,000 ventilators in the next 100 days. Ford’s ventilators will be constructed at the Rawsoville plant in Ypsilanti.

Anne Erickson's love for music drew her into radio. She started on the airwaves shortly after graduating from MSU. Anne has a passion for rock and metal, and she also fronts the band Upon Wings. Email Anne at erickson@WRIF.com, follow her on Instagram at @EricksonAnne and tweet at her @AnneErickson! Anne covers the Detroit, Philadelphia and Las Vegas markets and beyond.