Coronavirus News: Ford Postpones North American Vehicle Production, Commits To Producing Ventilators

Production at Ford’s (F) North American plants has been delayed as the automaker partners up with GE Healthcare to produce ventilators to treat coronavirus patients.

Ford had shut down its plants for two weeks as it looked to prevent the spread of COVID-19 after workers tested positive for the virus. The company was looking to open its Hermosillo Assembly Plant in Mexico on April 6 and “several key U.S. plants” on April 14, which has since been postponed.

Ford will open its Rawsonville Components Plant in Ypsilanti, Michigan, the week of April 20 to produce the Model A E ventilator through the assistance of 500 paid volunteer United Auto Worker (UAW) workers. As many as 50,000 ventilators are expected to be produced by July 4 to meet the needs of coronavirus patients.

The company said it anticipates that it will produce 30,000 ventilators a month after reaching the initial goal of 50,000 units in 100 days. While Ford will provide manufacturing for the ventilators, GE Healthcare will offer its clinical expertise and ventilator licensing from Airon Corp.

When producing the ventilators, Ford said it will take additional measures to prevent the spread of COVID-1, including self-certifying of symptoms, keeping workstations spaced six feet apart, and shift separations to reduce employee contact.

“The health and safety of our workforce, dealers, customers, partners and communities remains our highest priority,” Kumar Galhotra, Ford president, North America, said in a statement. “We are working very closely with union leaders – especially at the UAW – to develop additional health and safety procedures aimed at helping keep our workforce safe and healthy.”

Shares of Ford stock were up 0.89% as of 10:31 a.m. EDT on Tuesday.