How a car giant and a die caster joined forces to build ventilators
When the United States faced a sudden, massive ventilator shortage in March, existing manufacturers could not meet demand alone. This episode follows a fictional investigator tracing the complex supply chain as unlikely industrial partners collaborated to ramp up production.
In March, the surge in demand for ventilators quickly outpaced the manufacturing capacity of specialized medical companies. Even at peak operation, these firms could not bridge the gap on their own.
The solution required an unconventional industrial pivot. A ventilator manufacturer teamed up with a die casting firm and a major car manufacturer to scale production. This story explores the mechanics of that supply chain and how these disparate entities coordinated to address a critical national need.
