GKN'S East Cowes site is to be used as a production line for essential medical ventilators during the coronavirus crisis.

The company is setting up a full production line in Luton this week, then establishing one on the Island — possibly as early as next week.

The work will be done alongside the site's existing work.

GKN is among a long list of top companies who have formed a consortium called Ventilator Challenge UK.

It comprises significant UK industrial, technology and engineering businesses from across the aerospace, automotive and medical sectors.

These include UK-based F1 teams such as Maclaren and Mercedes, alongside Rolls-Royce, Siemens Healthineers and Siemens UK, and Unilever.

The consortium will now accelerate production of an agreed new design, based on existing technologies, which can be assembled from materials and parts in current production.

Russ Dunn, chief technology officer for GKN Aerospace, said: "GKN Aerospace has been an industry leader for more than 250 years and we are determined to play our part in helping turn the tide against Covid-19.

“Working together with a wide cross-section of UK businesses will help save lives.

“It represents the very best of British industry and GKN is proud to be part of this collective effort.”

Last week, GKN explained why they are continuing to work through the crisis.

A spokesman for GKN Aerospace said: “These are unprecedented times. Our key priority is to safeguard our people, while continuing to deliver for our customers in line with the latest government guidance for businesses such as ours to ‘carry on’.

"We continue to follow national guidance as a minimum. In the UK this has included a health questionnaire for every employee to enable vulnerable employees to identify themselves and remain away from the workplace, in addition to other measures such as social distancing, increased cleaning cycles and home-working wherever possible.

"We will continue to take all steps necessary to ensure the health and safety of our workforce and protect their long-term employment, wherever possible, throughout this challenging period.”