CEVA Logistics has been appointed by General Motors (GM) as its exclusive logistics provider to manage its entire ventilator production supply chain.

Under GM’s contract with the US Department of Health and Human Services, CEVA Logistics is responsible for delivering hundreds of parts which will be used in the making of the Ventec Life Systems V+Pro critical care ventilator at GM’ Kokomo, Indiana factory.

CEVA Logistics and GM have enjoyed a successful working relationship for more than a decade and on this specialist project CEVA Logistics is providing supplier management, order management, transportation and customs brokerage management and event monitoring for all the components required in manufacturing ventilators. It is the exclusive logistics provider on the inbound part of this project.

CEVA Control Towers in Singapore, Houston and Detroit are directly involved in the implementation and management of this project to keep the supply chain moving at all times. A number of CEVA Logistics personnel have been reallocated to Detroit as a part of this project, and highly effective social distancing measures have been put in place within the control towers to ensure the company’s own staff are fully protected.

CEVA has had an extensive US operation covering air, ocean, ground and contract logistics for the last decade and it provided full service logistics nationwide for 15 years prior to that - under the EGL banner it became a global force in freight management - before it was merged with TNT Logistics to create CEVA.

“CEVA Logistics is proud to support the production of this critically important equipment which will save lives and support healthcare professionals throughout the US," said CEVA Logistics’ CEO, Mathieu Friedberg.

"Our important, long-standing relationship with General Motors has been key to the success of this unique project. CEVA’s specialist knowledge of both automotive and healthcare supply chains has enabled us to step up and meet the challenge. Being entrusted with this role by General Motors in the current crisis is a tremendous proof of our reliability and expertise.

“We have ensured on-time deliveries from multiple locations around the world in record time with tracking of all transportation milestones so that these vital ventilators can be produced as quickly as possible and start saving lives across the US. We are pleased to have played our part in the success of this project and we will continue to deliver everything that is required for the duration it runs," he said.

“Every ventilator we build can help save lives, and GM’s global supply base and manufacturing teams, the UAW, and the Kokomo community are working with passion and unwavering commitment to get the job done,” said GM Executive Vice President, Global Manufacturing, Gerald Johnson.

“People have moved mountains to help increase production of Ventec’s critical care ventilator," he said. "I have never seen anything like it in my career.”

Upon completion of production the initial ventilator shipments will be rapidly deployed from the plant in Kokomo to hospitals in Gary (Indiana), Chicago and far beyond.

In other news, CEVA Logistics renewed its partnership with an Italian publisher.