Musk Talks Ventilators With Medtronic as it Doubles Production
Musk Talks Ventilators With Medtronic as it Doubles Production
(Bloomberg) --
A ventilator manufacturing giant may be getting the help of an unexpected innovator: Elon Musk.
The billionaire chief executive officer of Tesla Inc. tweeted Saturday that he had a good talk with Medtronic Plc about ventilators -- the equipment that’s expected to face a supply shortage with the outbreak of coronavirus.
For the world’s largest maker of medical technology equipment, the feeling was mutual.
“We had a great discussion with the Tesla team today,” Rob Clark, a spokesman for Dublin-based Medtronic, said by email. “Medtronic will work with Tesla and others to try and solve this ventilator supply challenge.”
Medtronic said earlier in the week it will more than double its capacity to make and supply ventilators to fight the global pandemic, with the machines playing a critical role in assisting patients with respiratory functions.
Medtronic’s CEO Omar Ishrak tweeted Friday that he’s on track to meet that output target weekly. “Demand is unprecedented,” he said.
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