News
Completed ‘Ventasys’ ICU ventilators are unveiled
Innovating during a global pandemic
We’re incredibly proud of our team’s show of resilience, talent and innovation to make a difference amidst this unprecedented global pandemic. During peak pandemic, Safearth was invited to work alongside businesses Ampcontrol and Newie Ventures to design and manufacture emergency COVID-19 ventilators for the NSW Government in an ambitious four-week timeframe. Within just three weeks we managed to build a prototype ventilator that clinicians in the State Government Advisory Board and the NSW Premier are now seeking to have developed into a fully-fledged commercial product, with the possibility of export.
The team at Safearth was able to share our experience in R&D and product development (including manufacturing) and insights on developing products for safety-critical systems. The fact that we were able to galvanise in the midst of a crisis, to form a once-in-a-lifetime, ground-breaking venture, and contribute to a critical global health problem is a phenomenal achievement – but it is not an isolated example of the immense talent around Australia.
As the judges of the Hunter Manufacturing Awards observed:
“[This project is] a tremendous example of collaboration to develop such a critical life-saving device. A wonderful project that has been well managed involving multiple partnerships and key contributors from medical professionals, skilled technicians right through to manufacturing apprentices…[it] is collaboration at its best.”
Together we can achieve world-class solutions
Stephen Palmer, Managing Director of Safearth, looks forward to future collaboration opportunities:
“We were galvanised and had a strong focus because of the community crisis that we were facing, but why can’t we collaborate with that level of focus because we choose to, without the pressure of a crisis? Australia is home to extraordinary engineers, and if we can form the right partnerships and create the right environment for them to work together, then the prospects are immense.”
Safearth continues to pioneer, evolve and diversify, led by our unwavering commitment to solving meaningful problems in a valuable way.
Collaboration and innovation at its best
Safearth has recently won the Excellence in Business award at the Lake Macquarie Business Excellence Awards as well as the Collaboration Partnership Award at the Hunter Manufacturing Awards in recognition of this ventilator project (the latter together with our project partners Ampcontrol and NewieVentures). We’re honoured to be a part of these awards that recognise businesses’ achievements and contribution to the economy and community.
Read our previous COVID ventilator update
Learn more about our Excellence in Business Award
Learn more about our Collaboration Partnership Award
