Hitachi USA fulfills Social Responsibility during the COVID-19 Pandemic

How Hitachi is Responding to Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

GM and Hitachi moved from autos to medical masks in six days

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.

Global Response​

Please follow this link for a message from Toshiaki Higashihara, Executive Chairman, President & CEO, Hitachi, Ltd., our global management policy, and links to activities from Hitachi companies around the globe.​

 

Local Response​

Here we share some of the contributions that Hitachi group companies in the Americas, offices and colleagues are making in response to the pandemic:​

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 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 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.

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.

Company Updates

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.

For the latest updates from JR Automation, please see here