BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) - Assemblyman Sean Ryan has asked Tesla CEO Elon Musk to bring ventilator production to the company's Buffalo plant.
Ryan wrote the letter on Tuesday, days after Tesla suspended solar production because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Musk recently announced that Tesla is working on a plan to make ventilators to meet a growing demand for the pandemic.
According to CNET, Musk donated more than 1,200 ventilators to California to help that state battle their shortage.
We will make ventilators if there is a shortage
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk)
March 19, 2020 “It’s not just Elon we’re reaching out to. We’re reaching out to the New York State Manufacturers Society and Tesla (to ask) what can you make?” Assemblyman Ryan told WBEN. “Can you make whole ventilators? Can you make parts of the ventilator that are needed in the supply chain? Remember, it’s not just one company producing every piece of the ventilator. They subcontract out to other companies and those companies (create) the component pieces.”
Ryan said Tesla has an expertise in supply chain management and that he’s confident that they will apply their technology towards creating the ventilators.
Dear Mr. Musk:
I write today regarding the growing COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing efforts to fight the virus and save lives. I want to thank you and your company for announcing a plan to make ventilators to help meet the need for this essential part of the response to help save lives during the pandemic. As your plans move forward, I urge you to ramp up ventilator production at the Tesla factory located in Buffalo, New York.
With COVID-19 impacting every segment of our society and economy, Tesla’s solar production factory in Buffalo has currently suspended operations. At this difficult time, it is critical that each of us do our part to ensure our state can respond to the growing pandemic. New York State is the most impacted state in the nation with over 20,000 cases of COVID-19, and the numbers are growing every day. It makes sense that increased ventilator production would happen here to ensure we can meet the growing demand of our healthcare system.
Sincerely,Sean M. Ryan Member of Asembly
