Intertek supports Penlon with electromagnetic compatibility testing for its ESO 2 Emergency Ventilator Project to meet rising demand for ventilators during COVID-19 pandemic

04 Aug 2020

(Leatherhead, UK) Intertek, a Total Quality Assurance provider to industries worldwide, is pleased to announce it partnered with Penlon to deliver rapid electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing to support their ESO 2 Emergency Ventilator project in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Penlon is a long-established medical device company that specialises in designing, manufacturing and distributing ventilators, vaporizers and anaesthetic machines. Based in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK it has a deserved reputation for high quality, reliable products from over 75 years in operation. The partnership with Intertek enabled Penlon and the Emergency Ventilator Consortium to accelerate their innovative new ESO 2 Emergency Ventilator to market to meet the rise in demand.

The Penlon ESO 2 Emergency Ventilator was created in response to the UK Government’s ‘call to arms’ on 15th March 2020, requesting industry to manufacture as many new ventilators as possible to help the NHS in the fight against COVID-19. Utilising its ventilation expertise, Penlon quickly responded by proposing the ESO 2 Emergency Ventilator, based on the existing AV-S anaesthesia ventilator platform. The first ESO 2 prototype was demonstrated less than a week after the initial Government request and the Ventilator Challenge UK Consortium was formed to manufacture the ESO 2 in large numbers.

By 15th April, after receiving MHRA approval, the first ESO 2 production units were despatched and just a few days later were installed at the newly established 4,000 bed NHS Nightingale Hospital in London. The ESO 2 is designed to save lives by ventilating extremely ill patients until they are strong enough to be transferred to one of the limited ICU ventilators available for recovery.

Intertek’s team supported Penlon through providing EMC testing over three days, working through the weekend to meet the urgent project deadlines. Intertek performed Radiated Emissions and Immunity testing on the ESO 2 and further Radiated Emissions on ESO 2 with three different interfaces (touchscreens). Intertek is committed to partnering with the medical supply chain, engaging with government initiatives, consortiums and industry bodies to support the development of the medical industry’s essential innovations for the UK and global market.

Henriette Bullmer, Electrical Director, Intertek UK said: “The Intertek team are proud to have supported Penlon’s ventilator testing and the crucial work they are doing to save lives and support our communities in these challenging times. We have worked with Penlon for many years and are looking forward to partnering and supporting them with their future innovations. Intertek is committed to partnering with the medical supply chain, engaging with government initiatives, consortiums and industry bodies to support the development of the medical industry’s essential innovations for the UK and global market”.

Craig Thompson, Head of Products and Marketing at Penlon said: “We are delighted to have been given the opportunity to work with Intertek to deliver the ESO 2 for the NHS. Intertek’s dedicated engineers worked tirelessly to ensure our ESO 2 ventilator would be available to save lives during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

https://www.intertek.com/medical

For Media Information

Please contact:
Cara Low
T: +44 7483 055190
E: cara.low@intertek.com

About Intertek

Intertek is a leading Total Quality Assurance provider to industries worldwide. Our network of more than 1,000 laboratories and offices and over 46,000 people in more than 100 countries, delivers innovative and bespoke Assurance, Testing, Inspection and Certification solutions for our customers’ operations and supply chains. Intertek Total Quality Assurance expertise, delivered consistently with precision, pace and passion, enabling our customers to power ahead safely.
intertek.com

About Penlon

Penlon is a long-established medical device company in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK. Our key areas of business are: Anaesthesia delivery, Insufflation equipment, Patient Monitors, Airway Management, Suction Control and Oxygen Therapy. Penlon is certified to the highest medical regulatory standards; all device production processes have accredited certification to ISO 13485:2016, USA FDA 21 CFR 820 and other global standards. All Penlon medical devices bear the EU CE mark to MDD 93/42/EC. Certification Body is SGS UK, Notified Body is SGS Belgium.
penlon.com