Philips Respironics hiring at Murrysville, Upper Burrell plants to meet demand for ventilators

Philips Respironics, a medical manufacturer that produces ventilators and related breathing equipment, is increasing production and hiring assemblers at its Murrysville and Upper Burrell plants to meet demand spurred by the spreading coronavirus.

The company is recruiting for more than 50 positions for assemblers on all shifts at the two plants, with a special emphasis on filling positions on its second shift. A post on the Philips website said “overtime is an essential function,” of those working the second shift.

Job requirements include: a high school diploma/GED or equivalent work history, experience in manufacturing, service or assembly in a regulated environment, English proficiency and the ability to frequently lift 15 pounds.

Online applications are available at www.spherionpa jobs.com.

A spokesman for Philips, a global conglomerate based in the Netherlands, said it is boosting production, hiring, adding lines, increasing shifts and shifting employees to meet increased demand at its Western Pennsylvania facilities and other locations around the world.

“We are very proud that our colleagues in the Pittsburgh region and around the world are stepping up to support health care providers and their patients in the fight against covid-19,” Philips Respironics spokesman Steve Klink said.

The company’s Philips Respironics division, with more than 1,500 employees in the Pittsburgh area, was founded in 1976 by Gerald McGinnis. It became part of the Philips portfolio after a sale in 2007.

The decision to ramp up production at medical equipment facilities comes amid fears of a shortage of ventilators as the coronavirus spreads. The New York Times reported that authorities are projecting New York state alone may be facing a shortage of more than 15,000 ventilators per week when the virus peaks there.

The White House coronavirus task force Wednesday said federal authorities are ordering and stockpiling ventilators from manufacturers. The nation has stockpiled more than 10,000 ventilators and expects to add several thousand more, according to Vice President Mike Pence.

Earlier this week, Philips CEO Frans van Houten said the company has been increasing production worldwide to help combat covid-19. He said Philips has a varied portfolio of products that can help address “preparedness, response and recovery” during the ongoing pandemic, including diagnostic imaging systems and services, hospital telehealth systems for ICUs and medical consumables for invasive, noninvasive and mixed-mode ventilation to treat a broad range of respiratory conditions.