A CREDITON manufacturing business is at the heart of the government’s ventilator challenge in the fight against the coronavirus.

Adaero Precision Components Ltd of Lords Meadow Industrial Estate has ramped up production of vital parts for the ParaPAC Plus Ventilator and the VR1 Mobile Ventilator for Smiths Medical UK.

Adaero has been a major supplier to Smiths Medical for more than 20 years and Gary Raymont, Managing Director, says he is proud of all his staff at both sites on the Lords Meadow Industrial Estate for all their efforts.

“Our 70-strong staff teams has risen to the challenge and are working tirelessly to meet the demands of the current medical situation.

“We are producing the parts we always have but in much higher volumes as you can imagine.

“The main products we supply are for the ParaPAC Plus Ventilator and the VR1 Mobile Ventilator.

“We have been working nights and weekends to meet the demand and companies both local and national have aided us in our efforts.

“Isca Scaffolding, who are also on the estate, supplied us with items to store the extra material free-of-charge, and Citizen – who manufacture CNC machines – supplied us with two brand new sliding head machines within days.

“Queen Elizabeth’s School emptied their stock of masks to us, as we too are at the end of the line when it comes to sourcing PPE (personal protection equipment) at this time.

“PVM Supplies who, after our normal supplier closed due to Covid-19, supplied us the next day with more janitorial supplies to keep our work force clean and healthy.

“RB Engineering loaned us a vehicle and we are also grateful to them.”

“Our casual staff (college staff etc) have come in and are bolstering our teams.”

PROUD

Rory Oliver, Adaero’s HR Manager (who is now currently also working on the firm’s milling floor to fill in), said: “I cannot explain how immensely proud I am of the teams and their commitment over this very trying time. Adversity has shown true character.”

The Ventilator Challenge UK Consortium, which includes Airbus, Ford, Rolls-Royce and Thales, is working with the Smiths Group to ensure the supply of more than 10,000 ParaPAC plus ventilators.

Production has been ramped up at Smiths from hundreds a month to thousands in response to the UK government’s challenge to UK technology and engineering businesses to help save lives in the Covid-19 pandemic.

Already certified and used extensively in the UK and abroad, the ParaPAC plus is a lightweight and portable ventilator that delivers oxygen to the lungs and helps patients breathe.

Adaero Precision Components Ltd was founded in 1988 and, since January 2015, have been part of the Indutrade group.

Adaero is a specialist manufacturer of high precision components, engineered to customer specifications.