Coronavirus News: Ford Readies Respirator Production To Begin This Week Using F-150 Seat Fans

Ford (F) said it would begin producing its company-designed, powered air-purifying respirators (PAPR) on Tuesday for the healthcare industry during the coronavirus pandemic.

Ford has partnered with 3M, integrating into its manufacturing facilities, to increase the production of products such as PAPRs and N95 respirators. The healthcare products are being produced in accordance with federal guidelines and the support of 3M and Ford workers. The company said development time was less than four weeks.

“We knew that to play our part helping combat coronavirus, we had to go like hell and join forces with experts like 3M to expand production of urgently needed medical equipment and supplies,” Jim Baumbick, vice president, Ford Enterprise Product Line Management, said in a statement.

“In just three weeks under Project Apollo, we’ve unleashed our world-class manufacturing, purchasing and design talent to get scrappy and start making personal protection equipment and help increase the availability and production of ventilators,” he continued.

As many as 90 paid United Autoworkers (UAW) volunteers will assemble the respirators at Ford’s Vreeland facility in Michigan, with capacity expected to reach 100,000 units or more.

The PAPRs have a hood and face shield to protect healthcare workers with a high-efficiency HEPA filter that can be worn for up to eight hours. The PAPRs also have an air blower system, which Ford said is similar to the fan found in its F-150 ventilator seats, and is powered by a rechargeable, portable battery.

Once approved, the PAPRs will be distributed throughout the U.S. to healthcare workers with all profits from the respirators to be donated by Ford and 3M.

“UAW Ford members continue to step up and volunteer to work during this difficult time as we expand at the facility across from Flat Rock to make respirators and at the Van Dyke Transmission Plant to make face masks for medical use,” Gerald Kariem, vice president, UAW Ford Department, said in a statement.

“The UAW also continues to work with Ford to follow stringent CDC guidelines and go above and beyond protections for these members who are so proudly volunteering to serve their communities and their nation,” he added.

Ford has also been producing face masks with the help of about 30 UAW paid volunteers. The automaker is also making reusable gowns in a partnership with Joyson Safety Systems, using the same material its airbags are made from.

Gown production is expected to reach 75,000 units a week and scale up to 100,000 gowns the week of April 19 and 1.3 million by July 4. The gowns can be washed up to 50 times and have been self-tested to federal standards.

Shares of Ford stock were down 4.19% as of 3:14 p.m. EDT on Monday.