Air Liquide, Groupe PSA, Schneider Electric and Valeo rise to the challenge of producing 10,000 Air Liquide Medical Systems respirators in response to the French government request

Paris, March 31, 2020 – Faced with the compelling need for more respirators on its national territory, the French government has asked, on March 22, a group of French industrial companies led by Air Liquide to study the possibility of increasing the production of respirators so as to provide 10,000 respirators in 50 days, between the beginning of April and mid-May. In response, Air Liquide, Groupe PSA, Schneider Electric and Valeo have set up a Task Force composed of about 30 purchasing and industrialization experts in order to define an action plan to increase the production of Air Liquide Medical Systems respirators, which are already referenced by a great number of hospitals in France and abroad. To meet this industrial challenge, the exceptional contribution of 100 partner companies will also be sought so as to provide the 300 essential components that are necessary for the fabrication of these medical systems.

Within this task force, Valeo is providing support to the Air Liquide teams by:

• putting together a team of Valeo buyers in charge of supplier management and the procurement of the components needed to produce respirators. This team help respond to the demand for accelerated production and the increased need for components in the supply chain;
• providing technical support with its R&D teams, supplying expertise in plastics, mechanical and electronic technologies;
• making available full-time engineers specialized in wide-scale industrial production. Valeo will organize the accelerated production of the respirators, establish and train the production teams required for a fast ramp-up;
• gathering around 20 voluntary engineers and technicians to respond to the demand for accelerated production.

During this difficult period for hospitals, which are lacking respirators, Valeo has put all of its resources at the disposal of the consortium it has joined with Air Liquide, Schneider and Groupe PSA to manufacture 10,000 units very quickly. This is an exemplary act of cooperation and Valeo is proud to contribute to the national solidarity effort.