C2I 2020 COVID-19 response winners: Rapid breathing

In the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, an emergency call was put out to UK industry for assistance of all kinds. The nature of the virus meant that one of the most pressing needs was for ventilators, complex biomedical machines that assist gravely ill patients with breathing.

As hospitals across the UK started seeing increasing numbers admitted with breathing difficulties, companies from right across the manufacturing spectrum came together on multiple ventilator projects. Rather than single out an individual effort, The Engineer’s C2I award for Covid Response recognises the work of several collaborations that rose to this challenge.

Partners: Babcock International with Raytheon, Kohler Mira Limited, Kinneir Dufort, Future Advanced Manufacture, PDD, Amtek Precision, Plexus

Despite having no significant experience in the medical sector, Babcock brought together specialists from around the UK and Germany to create not only a ventilator solution, but also two fully functioning manufacturing facilities within 87 days.