Ford is responding to the Trump administration’s call to to step up and build medically necessary equipment. Ford has announced a partnership with GE to build 50,000 ventilators over the next 100 days.
The ventilators will be built at a plant in Michigan in cooperation with GE’s healthcare unit. The companies will then build 30,000 per month as needed to treat patients afflicted with the coronavirus. They hope to finish at least 50,000 over the next 100 days.
Ford said the simplified ventilator design, which is licensed by GE Healthcare from Florida-based Airon Corp and has been cleared by the FDA, can meet the needs of most COVID-19 patients. Production will start in late April at Ford’s Rawsonville Components Plant in Ypsilanti. It will produce the ventilators nearly around the clock, with 500 paid volunteer UAW-represented employees working on three shifts. Airon currently produces three Airon pNeuton Model A ventilators per day in Melbourne, Florida.
Reporting for WGRT – Marty Doorn
