Johnson Matthey and Hoerbiger Flow Control are offering ventilator components in Europe to the fight against COVID-19.

As COVID-19 continues, ventilators have become a critical life-saving tool, helping patients to breathe. In response to a worldwide shortage of these critical devices, Johnson Matthey is supplying its piezo products to the ventilator supply chain, enabling pneumatic and hydraulic products from Hoerbiger Flow Control to function.

Germany-based Hoerbiger Flow Control is a leading provider of technologies centered around pneumatic and hydraulics products that control fluidic flow. One of their products is the piezoelectric valve that ventilators need to function.

Piezo products use the physical properties of the materials produced by Johnson Matthey, which means that when an electrical voltage is applied to the electrodes, the material will change shape. Johnson Matthey’s piezo ceramic bending actuators enable Hoerbiger’s valves to open and close.

Michael Riedel, business manager piezo products, said: “It’s gratifying to realize that the products we make on a daily basis are going to such an important cause. The team in Redwitz has been working hard to deliver on the promise we’ve made to our valued customer Hoerbiger.”