One of the most immediate and critical impacts of COVID-19 was a rapid and severe depletion of personal protective equipment (PPE) for first responders. Demonstrating their commitment to social responsibility, General Motors, JR Automation (a Hitachi Group Company) and Esys Automation, were quick to respond to this overwhelming shortage. Engineers and employees volunteered and stepped-up to design an end-to-end production line, transforming a GM cleanroom into a mask factory within just six days. The three companies collaborated and utilized their resources to manufacture tens of thousands of face masks every day, ultimately meeting the needed requirement.
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Here we share some of the contributions that Hitachi group companies in the Americas, offices and colleagues are making in response to the pandemic:
Diehl Tool Steel received an urgent call from Spicer Machine Shop in Berry, KY for 750 lbs. of 4140/4150 tool steel. Toyota had informed Spicer that they needed stamping dies to produce COVID-19 face masks. To help Toyota expedite the production process, Diehl Steel operators cut and machined the material the same day.
H-E Parts International’s Mining Solutions facility in Billings, MT is engineering innovative solutions to contribute to the local medical community. Working with the Billings Clinic, a community-owned, integrated health care organization, H-E Parts is 3D printing reusable masks for local medical professionals. These masks are essential to keeping frontline medical personnel and patients safe.
Hitachi America, Ltd. is sponsoring the Nippon Club of New York as it provides authentic Japanese meals to frontline healthcare providers at Mount Sinai Hospital, Albert Einstein Montefiore Medical Center and Columbia Presbyterian Hospital.
Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas, Inc. is partnering with several companies in central KY to produce up to 500 face shields a day for frontline medical workers. Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas, Inc. is assembling the face shields in Harrodsburg, KY from components supplied by Lexmark International, Inc., Tempur-Pedic and Big Ass Solutions. Face shields have been distributed to the following KY hospitals: Commonwealth Cancer Center; Saint Joseph Hospital; St. Claire HealthCare; University Medical Center (University of Louisville); University of Kentucky Medical Center.
Hitachi Computer Products America, Inc. has donated 1,000 face shields to the Mercy Health Foundation (Mercy Hospital in Oklahoma City, OK), along with 50 Web-capable cameras (USB plug, 1080 pixel) that will enable isolated patients to communicate with their families. Hitachi Computer Products America, Inc. has also donated 5,000 medical masks to Norman Regional Hospital near its manufacturing facility in Norman, OK.
Hitachi Group companies in the Southern California region have contributed $3K to help Access Books purchase approximately 1.1K books for students affected by the stay-at-home order. Launched in partnership with the Book Foundation, the aim is to send book bundles to the poorest children in LA who are not in school right now because schools have been closed due to the pandemic.
Hitachi Healthcare Americas is working to provide urgent delivery of X-ray systems, in response to NY State’s requests.
Hitachi High-Tech America Inspire STEM Education Outreach Program has been seamlessly adapted to account for the rapid shift from brick and mortar classrooms to virtual environments. The program is partnering with new and existing entities to respond to this new virtual learning environment, engaging with Harvard Lab Exchange, MIT Museum, National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (UC San Diego, Stanford University, and North Carolina State University), BioBus, and TeamFirst to implement virtual education initiatives.
High Performance Medical Solutions, a division of Hitachi Cable America, Inc., is prioritizing “critical to life” device manufacturing like peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) and midline catheters, both of which are badly needed for treating severely ill patients. More information.
Hitachi Vantara is partnering with the American Heart Association and BurstIQ to launch a data challenge focused on testing the relationships between COVID-19 and other health conditions, health disparities and social determinants of health such as ethnicity, gender, geography and income. Hitachi Vantara is providing more than $100K in funding to manage the challenge and recruit top scientists to this critical effort. More information.
JR Automation partnered with General Motors (GM) to design and build an entire medical mask assembly line capable of producing 50,000 masks a day in just six days. More information.JR Automation is also leveraging its engineering capabilities and existing relationship with The Hershey Company to begin manufacturing masks to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The new line will be capable of producing up to 45K masks per day and will become operational near the end of May.
Sullair donated nearly 1,300 N95 respirators to Franciscan Health Michigan City, a Michigan City-based hospital a short distance from the Sullair campus. More information.
Waupaca Foundry, Inc. has donated medical supplies including foam lined glasses and masks, and its ductile iron foundry in Etowah, TN is protecting frontline medical workers by 3D printing frames for face shields. More information.
Hitachi Vantara solutions to help customers prevent the ongoing spread of COVID-19, leveraging thermal cameras, 3D lidar, software applications and computer vision AI. More information.
Hitachi Vantara is keeping Customers, Employees and Partners Safe During the COVID-19 Outbreak. More information.
JR Automation responds to critical need for COVID-19 medical supplies. More information.
Occupational Health Nurse Keeps Waupaca Foundry Employees Healthy Amid COVID-19. More information.
For the latest updates from JR Automation, please see here
For the latest updates from Hitachi Healthcare Americas, please see here
