A KEIGHLEY firm has turned its hand to producing ventilator parts to support the battle against coronavirus.

Yorkshire Precision Engineering Ltd, based in Deal Street, specialises in the manufacture and supply of turned parts and components for a range of industries.

When the virus pandemic broke out and demand for ventilators across the care sector nationally soared, the company joined VentilatorChallenegeUK – a consortium of businesses working to meet the need.

In the space of just a week, Yorkshire Precision Engineering Ltd produced 8,000 parts for ventilators to be distributed to hospitals across the country.

Keighley College is also playing a significant role.

Two students on a Level 3 advanced engineering apprenticeship have been gaining experience at the firm and supporting the part-producing operation, including setting tooling and monitoring the performance and consistency of the parts.

Daniel Fuller has been on his apprenticeship since August, 2018, while Samuel Steventon became an apprentice at Keighley College in January last year and transferred to Yorkshire Precision Engineering Ltd just two months ago.

Lynda Laybourne, sales and finance director at the company, praised the students’ role in the production of the parts.

“Daniel and Samuel have been instrumental in producing the ventilator components,” she said.

“As part of the ventilator challenge, our team has been working tirelessly around the clock.

“The apprentices’ work ethic is admirable and we’re incredibly proud that they have been able to help us in the fight against the virus.”

Ronnie Magee, deputy head at Keighley College, said: “Our apprenticeships are extremely valuable and this is shown through the masses of practical skills and knowledge developed by the students during their time at great local firms.

“Yorkshire Precision Engineering Ltd is committed to its apprentices and has ensured Daniel and Samuel have stayed working during these challenging times to help manufacture and inspect these high-value ventilator parts.”

Yorkshire Precision Engineering Ltd was founded in 2001 by Michael Laybourne, an engineer with just short of four decades’ experience in the precision engineering sector.