Pirelli ‘willing to help’ with UK ventilator production

In light of the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has asked UK manufacturing firms to assess whether they can shift production to ventilators for the NHS on Monday 16 March 2020. A day earlier Health Minister Matt Hancock wrote: “We now need any manufacturers to transform their production lines to make ventilators. We cannot make too many”, in a Telegraph article.

A number of firms, including some well-known automotive manufacturers were the first to offer their assistance. JCB, Rolls-Royce and Unipart all said their engineering departments would look into the project.

Tyres & Accessories asked the select group of tyre makers still manufacturing products in the UK whether or not they had been approached with regard to making ventilators. Pirelli, which runs manufacturing operations in Burton-on-Trent and Carlisle, was the first to reply with a positive offer of assistance:

“Pirelli has not been approached but, of course, would be willing to help if there is something we can contribute matching our industrial skills and know-how.”