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Ford, 3M to build new powered air-purifying respirators, face masks

Published  April 13, 2020 1:44pm EDT
Ford
FOX 2 Detroit

DEARBORN, Mich. - Ford and 3M are expanding their production to aid the country's COVID-19 effort with a newly-designed powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR's). 

Badly needed by health care workers, production for the new machines will begin Tuesday, April 14 at the Flat Rock facility. The paid UAW volunteers will have the ability to make 100,000 respirators.

“We knew that to play our part helping combat coronavirus, we had to go like hell and join forces with experts like 3M to expand production of urgently needed medical equipment and supplies,” said Jim Baumbick, vice president, Ford Enterprise Product Line Management. “In just three weeks under Project Apollo, we’ve unleashed our world-class manufacturing, purchasing and design talent to get scrappy and start making personal protection equipment and help increase the availability and production of ventilators.”

Ford's PPAR manufacturing will fall in line with the company's face shield and reusable gown production, which has risen into the millions. The newly designed PAPR comes equipped with a hood and face shield to cover the worker's head and shoulders, a high-efficiency filter system that can provide eight hours of clean air, and a rechargeable battery. 

“3M is dedicated to helping to protect our heroic health care workers and first responders globally, including sharing our scientific expertise to increase supply of needed PPE,” said Bernard Cicut, vice president, 3M Personal Safety Division. “We are proud to stand together with Ford in this effort, as they have helped us increase manufacturing of existing 3M PPE products and, together, we have rapidly designed a new PAPR to help protect these heroes.”

Ford, along with General Motors, have been marshaled by President Donald Trump as part of an executive order to contribute to the COVID-19 fight. Both have been tasked with bolstering the country's personal protective equipment supplies by manufacturing anything from N95 masks, gowns and face shields to ventilators.