Ford Motor Company is contributing to the global COVID-19 pandemic by manufacturing hospital gowns out of airbag material for frontline healthcare workers. It is collaborating with Joyson Safety Systems to provide 1.3 million washable gowns till July 4 by producing 100,000 each week.
According to Ford, it partnered with Beaumont Health in Metro Detroit to come up with the gown design. The hospital gowns have been self-tested according to federal standards, and the company has already delivered more than 5,000 gowns.
Prior to this, Ford produced around 3 million face shields for medical staff and is working with conglomerate 3M to make N95 respirators and Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPR). The auto giant further plans to manufacture ventilators in the coming week with the help of GE. They want to complete around 50,000 ventilators by July 4. Moreover, the company wants to obtain a certification to churn out masks for medical use at its Michigan plant.
Automakers all over the world are utilizing their facilities to produce personal protective equipment (PPE) for health personnel and first responders. General Motors is engaged in building ventilators, while Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is donating one million face masks each month to counter the COVID-19 situation.
Source and Image: Motor1