Ford, 3M And Other Suppliers Start Production Of Medical Equipment

Over the past several weeks, Ford, GM and other automakers and suppliers have been working aggressively to leverage their purchasing, engineering and supply chain management capabilities to ramp up production of needed supplies to address the Covid-19 pandemic. Two weeks ago, Ford and 3M
MMM
announced plans to manufacture powered air-purifying respirators (PAPR) using fans designed for ventilated seats. Ford and 3M have provided an update on production plans.

The PAPRs are scheduled to begin production on April 14, 2020 at a Ford parts plant near its Flat Rock, Mich. assembly plant. Ford worked with 3M to develop a design based on off-the-shelf components that Ford had available including lithium ion batteries used in power tools and the motor used for ventilated seats in the F-150 pickup. Ford has said it can produce 100,000 or more PAPRs in the coming months depending on need.

Ford is also working with other suppliers to produce other personal protective equipment for medical personal. Joyson Safety Systems, one of the suppliers of airbags will be manufacturing reusable protective gowns from the same material used for the airbags. The new gowns have already been tested to ensure that they still provide the needed protection even after being washed. Re-usability of the gowns will help to reduce the need to replacements. Joyson Safety Systems plans to produce 75,000 gowns by the end of this week and ramp up to 100,000/week from next week with 1.3 million gowns distributed by the beginning of July.

3M is also continuing to ramp up production of N95 masks and is already operating at an annualized rate of 1.1 billion units and plans to double that this year. Unlike GM, which has a contract to supply ventilators to the national stockpile, 3M will be distributing the Ford-made PAPRs through its normal channels.

Ford has also begun production of masks for internal use by factory workers globally. Ford spokesman Mike Levine explained that Ford doesn’t intend to make this a permanent business, but internal production will help protect employees in the near term as they manufacture other equipment and eventually restart vehicle production. The masks are already being produced at the Livonia, Mich. transmission plant. Ford is also working getting medical certification for its masks so they can be supplied as needed for medical personnel.

Lenexa, Kentucky-based Thermo Fisher
TMO
Scientific is also getting assistance from Ford to expand production of collection kits for Covid-19 testing. The Kansas City Assembly plant that produces F-150 and Transit may set up additional production equipment if needed, but Ford engineers have already helped Thermo Fisher adapt some of its own existing equipment to produce the plastic vials needed for the kits.

Given that converting equipment to produce entirely different products in a matter of weeks is a non-trivial challenge, the progress being made by automakers and suppliers has been impressive. Within the next couple of weeks the ventilators needed to treat patients will also be rolling off the lines and out to hospitals.