In 2016, a Molex customer and leader in the development of sleep and respiratory devices, began developing a ventilator with support from a division of the US Department of Health and Human Services. The purpose was to prepare for the needs of a potential pandemic. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, this device — a portable hospital-to-home ventilator — had just received FDA approval and the company needed to act quickly to ensure production could meet the newly increased demand.

As a leading healthcare supplier, our customer has always been focused on delivering the best solutions to the market through continuous improvement and innovation. By offering the latest technology in a more economical package than prior models, this new device delivers noninvasive (NIV) and invasive (IV) ventilation and was designed to remain with patients as they transition from hospital to home.

The company is working to meet new demands which amount to more than 18 times the normal production volume, and Molex is stepping in to help ensure critical cable assemblies are available.

Using Product and Market Knowledge to Anticipate Increased Production 

Molex was a critical supplier for the original ventilator and began collaborating with our customer on the new device in the earliest design stages. Our involvement gave us a detailed knowledge of the product and the uniquely designed cable assemblies used in this device, allowing us to prepare for a potential spike in demand before our customer reached out. Everyone from plant managers to Molex’s customer service teams kept an eye on the pandemic and were ready to rise to the challenge.

Molex coordinated efforts across three continents — North America, Europe, and Asia — and acted quickly to add additional production capabilities as needed. To directly support this effort, a new crimping station was even brought online to increase output by nearly 34%.

Looking Ahead

Together with this healthcare innovator, the proactive team at Molex remains ready to meet the demands associated with this new coronavirus and all efforts to help the world remain better prepared if another pandemic takes hold.

Learn more about what we’re doing to overcome COVID-19.