The production of much-needed ventilator parts could start as soon as next week in Guelph.

As previously reported by the Mercury Tribune, auto parts manufacturer Linamar was looking to build, or help build, ventilators — among the most-needed pieces of medical equipment amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

While the company started laying off workers in mid-March, shortly after car plants in North America began announcing they would be shutting down, the company’s chief executive said some of those employees have been asked to come back.

“We have already reached out to employees on layoff to join the ventilator teams and response was strong to do so,” Linda Hasenfratz, the company’s CEO, told the Mercury Tribune in an emailed statement.

“Between our three streams of ventilator projects, we expect to have (approximately) 400 employees involved, a portion of whom were formerly on layoff.”

As far as when production will begin, Hasenfratz said for companies making their own ventilator lines, production of parts is expected to begin Monday.

However, that could take more time for those firms Linamar is working more directly with to ramp up production.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the federal government had come to an agreement with Toronto-based Thornhill Medical to build 500 of the company’s compact ventilator systems.

It was also announced at the time that Linamar would partner with Thornhill on the deal, bringing with it increased production capacity.

In her statement, Hasenfratz said through this deal there will be assembly lines created in Guelph to finish the units, and that Linamar would help to manage any supply chain issues.