STEPPING UP: Ford Motor Company Answers the Call to Action
May 11, 2020
Posted by Barrett-Jackson
Written by Eric Becker
Ford is leading efforts to manufacture reusable gowns with airbag supplier Joyson Safety Systems.
Ford 3D printing tech wears a prototype of a 3D-printed medical face shield printed at Ford’s Advanced Manufacturing Center.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ford Motor Company once again answered the call to action. The manufacturer has over a century of experience in stepping up and contributing essential items during times of need. The automaker was a driving force in building the Arsenal of Democracy during WWII and providing engineering expertise to help doctors combat polio.
“At Ford, we feel a deep obligation to step up and contribute in times of need, just as we always have through the 117-year history of our company,” said Bill Ford, Ford’s executive chairman.
Approximately 90 paid UAW volunteers have assembled more than 10,000 ventilators at Ford’s Vreeland facility near Flat Rock, Michigan, with the ability to make 100,000 or more.
The automaker has joined forces with GE Healthcare and 3M to produce much-needed medical equipment and supplies for first responders and healthcare workers. Leveraging its manufacturing expertise and 3D printing capability, Ford has developed plans to produce upwards of 100,000 face shields per week. So far, more than 1 million face shields have been delivered to first responders and healthcare workers. Ford’s Rawsonvile, Michigan, plant is working nonstop with 500 paid UAW volunteers tackling three shifts to develop and produce some 50,000 ventilators by the end of May.
“The Ford and GE Healthcare teams, working creatively and tirelessly, have found a way to produce this vitally needed ventilator quickly and in meaningful numbers,” said Jim Hackett, Ford’s president and CEO.
Rows of boxes filled with personal protective equipment made by Ford wait to be shipped from Ford subsidiary Troy Design & Manufacturing.
The automaker is working with Wayne State University and providing vehicles, drivers and equipment to help create the first mobile COVID-19 testing service in Michigan. Launched on April 13, each vehicle is capable of testing up to 100 people per-day and returning results in as little as 24 to 36 hours. Additionally, the automaker is sending $500,000 via the Ford Motor Company Fund to help nonprofit groups in Michigan secure food for children and senior citizens.
“We are immediately targeting resources to ensure that the most vulnerable people are being cared for during this unprecedented situation,” said Mary Culler, president, Ford Motor Company Fund. Working tirelessly, the automaker has even gone so far as to allocate a working team to help Detroit area hospitals procure N95 masks and respirators.
Barrett-Jackson extends our most sincere gratitude to those at our longtime partner Ford for doing their part and helping those in need during this critical time. We also express our thanks to all essential workers for their continued efforts in keeping our communities healthy.