ArcelorMittal 3D Prints Ventilators, SSAB Speeds COVID Projects, Marzetti Thanks Workers

ArcelorMittal 3D Prints Ventilators, Face Shields to Fight Coronavirus Spread

The largest steelmaker in the world, ArcelorMittal, has started using its 3D printing technology to help researchers in Spain produce ventilators and face shields to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

The company said in a news release that it took one week to design the ventilators, which are undergoing safety tests but could be put into use soon to help patients in severe respiratory distress.

Health officials in Spain asked ArcelorMittal for help to produce face shields. It created two different types, one that attaches to a helmet for use in industrial plants and a second one that attaches to the head for use by doctors, nurses and other medial professionals in a hospital setting.

“Enabling a rapid supply of ventilators and face shields is critical in helping beat this virus and I am very proud that our company and our people are able to contribute their skills and expertise to help make this a reality.”

Lakshmi N Mittal, Chairperson and CEO of ArcelorMittal

Of course, Arcelormittal isn’t the only manufacturing company ramping up to produce medical supplies — there are many companies moving to contribute their expertise and production capacity.

Another long-time GrayMatter customer, Woodward, Inc., based in Fort Collins, Colo., is working with Colorado State University to produce ventilators as well, according to the Coloradoan, which is part of the USA Today network.

“Woodward is applying our existing technology and products for the development of a new ventilator and we have a prototype,” a Woodward spokesman said.

The machines have passed initial testing and are awaiting Food & Drug Administration approval.

April is Full of Virtual Learning Events from GrayMatter

Check out GrayMatter’s Events and Training page for details about a number of upcoming virtual learning opportunities this month.

• April 14, 16, 22 & 23 – The 4 Defense-in-Depth Tactics Industrial Cybersecurity Pros Should Know – 2 p.m. ET

*Special Note: The April 16 Defense-in-Depth cybersecurity event with Cybersecurity Lead Scott Christensen will focus on securing remote connections as companies expand the number of remote workers accesses their networks from home.

• April 21 – Advanced Industrial Analytics Webinar – 2 p.m. ET

• April 30 – Accelerate.virtual – GrayMatter’s Online Leadership Summit – 11 a.m. ET

Don’t Forget: GrayMatter every Thursday at 2 p.m. on LinkedInLive for a different industrial intelligence topic every week.

If you’ve worked with GrayMatter or want to learn more about what we do, post questions for us during our LinkedIn live events and we’ll try to answer them.

Steelmaker SSAB Puts Coronavirus-Related Projects First in Line

SSAB Americas announced it will prioritize all steel production for projects related to COVID-19 relief efforts.

SSAB created a new order designation dubbed Relief Effort Priority. REP-related projects will go immediately into the production stream, the company says, at its steel mills in Axis, Alabama and Montpelier, Iowa.

Temporary hospital construction projects are happening all over the world as health care facilities try to quickly expand capacity to keep COVID-19 patients separated from other patients.

Some facilities will also need to evaluate their capacity to treat ICU patients, Forbes reports.

“As a critical manufacturing company, we are committed to doing our part to contribute to overcoming the challenges ahead,” SSAB said.

Assent Compliance Maps COVID-19 Supply Chain Impact for GE, Rolls Royce and Other Manufacturers

An Ottawa-based startup is working with manufacturers like GE and Rolls-Royce to help them determine how the coronavirus pandemic might affect their global supply chains, TechCrunch reports.

Once a customer inputs data, the Assent Compliance creates a map that highlights where coronavirus hotspots could disrupt the supply chain. It then provides a country-by-country breakdown of the number of confirmed cases, assigns varying levels of supply chain disruption risk and suggests a course of action.

The company uses supply chain data from “1,000 customers and 500,000 suppliers” that use its platform. Data about the outbreak comes from third-party sources like the World Health Organization.

T. Marzetti Company Thanks Front-Line Workers

T. Marzetti Company Chief Supply Chain Officer Dave Nagle thanked Marzetti employees for their hard work to provide essential products during the COVID-19 pandemic in a video posted to the company’s LinkedIn page.

Nagle said volume is up 30 percent at Marzetti as consumer demand increases for many of the foods that Marzetti produces.

Nagle noted that Marzetti has increased front-line employee wages by $2 per hour, gave employees a $300 monthly bonus and emphasized worker safety protocols related to sick leave.

Learn More: T. Marzetti Company Savings Through Digital Transformation