Ford Motor Company announced Monday that it will begin producing ventilators at its Rawsonville plant in Ypsilanti, with the goal of producing 50,000 ventilators in 100 days and up to 30,000 per month thereafter as needed.
Ford, in collaboration with GE Healthcare, expects to produce 1,500 ventilators by the end of April and have 12,000 produced by the end of May, with 50,000 expected by July 4.
Ford will be producing the GE/Airon Model A-E ventilator that operates on air pressure without the need for electricity.
“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, in a release. “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.”
Ford will initially send a team to Florida to work with Airon Corp. to help with production. The company expects to begin production in Ypsilanti by the week of April 20.
Ford says that nearly 500 paid volunteer UAW employees will be working three shifts around the clock from its Rawsonville plant.
© 2023 - 910 Media Group
