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Guilford company a key to some surviving the coronavirus

Bio-Med, which employs 80, is now operational seven days a week.

GUILFORD, Conn. — Those, who are the sickest of the patients, suffering from the coronavirus, need the support od medical equipment to keep them alive. And there is a Guilford company, which manufactures ventilators and air oxygen blenders, that has even captured the attention of the White House.

Bio-Med Devices newest ventilator, the TV- 100, is primarily used to transport patients, But in many locations worldwide it is used at a patient’s bedside

“Huge demand,” exclaimed Dean Bennett, the company’s President & CEO. “It’s unprecedented.”

Bio-Med, which employs 80, is now operational seven days a week.

“We’ve been through some other, bird flu, SARS, that type of thing, but nothing like this,” said Bennett.

He says orders have come in steadily from all over the world. 

“And, right now I’m trying to make sure that we can supply some of these vents to Connecticut and the U.S.,” Bennett said.

To that end, he has been in touch with the Governor’s office and the Connecticut Department of Health.

“This basically is the, I think the heart of the ventilators,” said Wayne Stevens, a calibrator for Bio-Med. “it all runs through there.”

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The company’s production of its newest ventilators has ramped up to roughly 50 per week.

“I thought this was an important machine and an important job, but now that it’s helping out globally, it’s even more important,” Stevens said.

And, the federal government has offered its assistance in securing new raw materials, through a supply chain that is otherwise bogged down.

“The White House (Coronavirus) Task Force called me yesterday and said ‘is there anything we can do to help you with your suppliers,’l Bennet said.

“I couldn’t be happier working for a company that is producing something that can save lives,” said Helen Bellzavaglia, employed by Bio-Med Devices fo red roughly two years.

And, in knowing what this business does, some have been outward with their appreciation.

“I think there are a couple of people in the parking lot this morning I heard that were clapping as people were coming to work,” Bennett said with a smile. 

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