Yahoo Autos Ford, GE to Build 50,000 Life-Saving Ventilators by July 4 at Michigan Plant
Ford and GE plan to produce 50,000 ventilators in the 100 days leading up to July 4. Production begins the week of April 20.
The ventilators will be built at a retooled Ford plant in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
The announcement follows the news that GM is working with Ventec to produce thousands of the life-saving systems.
Ford and GE Healthcare announced a collaboration today to begin production of ventilators beginning the week of April 20. Together, they plan on building 50,000 of the systems in the following 100 days, or by July 4.
The ventilators will be built at Ford's Rawsonville plant in Ypsilanti, where 500 United Auto Worker employees will construct them, working 24 hours a day to hit the production goal. The companies aim to produce the first 1500 ventilators by the end of April.
“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,” Jim Hackett, Ford’s CEO, said in a statement. “By producing this ventilator in Michigan, in strong partnership with the UAW, we can help health care workers save lives, and that’s our No. 1 priority.”
GE has licensed the production of an Airon ventilator, a system which operates without the need for electricity. This announcement comes in addition to the already announced program from Ford and GE to increase production of GE’s ventilators.
“From the days of Rosie the Riveter, UAW members have stepped up during difficult times in this nation’s history for the good of us all,” UAW International President Rory Gamble said in a statement. “Today’s announcement by Ford that UAW employees will make ventilators at Rawsonville is in that tradition. We are working very closely with Ford to make sure that all CDC guidelines are followed and that we are exercising an abundance of caution inside the plant.
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The announcement follows the news that General Motors is partnering with Ventec Life Systems to produce up to 10,000 ventilators a month at full production. The life-saving systems can be crucial in the recovery of patients with COVID-19.
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