Supporting essential manufacturing and innovations during the pandemic

← Back To News January 13, 2021

“Like their counterparts around the country, Vermont manufacturers found themselves facing a long list of challenges as Coronavirus-related shutdowns pushed clients and suppliers into dramatically different new modes of operation last year.”  Read more about one of Kalow’s 2020 collaborations here: Partnerships Create Rapid Innovation During COVID-19 Crisis; as we continue to support essential manufacturing and innovation during the global pandemic.  

Subset of the article:

“…..A few miles north in Rutland, a partnership between UVM and VMEC created a new opportunity for Kalow Technologies. Realizing that ventilator equipment presented a critical bottleneck for care in areas hardest hit by Covid-19, the two organizations discussed the potential for manufacturing the units right here in the Green Mountain State.

Given their existing relationship with VMEC, Kalow’s Manufacturing Manager Nick Flanders says the company was a natural fit when it was time to identify manufacturers to kickstart the product. This particular effort, however—dubbed the “Vermontilator”—presented a chance to create new relationships while also leveraging old ones.

In the prototype phase, Kalow manufactured the sheet metal housing, assembled the enclosures, and provided some powder coating and electrical work. The plan also called for Kalow to offer additional support in the production phase (the project is currently awaiting FDA Emergency Use Authorization).

The electromechanical assembly, engineering, and fabrication operations played directly to Kalow’s strengths; what’s more, it has opened new application opportunities for the company.

“This was a good learning experience for everyone involved,” says Kalow’s Compliance Manager, Eric Lapp. “It was an opportunity to draw on training and support VMEC had given us in the past for a new application.”

Lapp adds that not only did VMEC’s matchmaking build the partnerships needed to get the project rolling, but the collaboration—facilitated by VMEC Professional Manufacturing and Business Growth Advisor Phil Chadderdon—enabled things to keep their momentum despite the challenges of remote working……”