Small business in Farmington Hills helping supply Ford ventilator production

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (FOX 2) - A metro Detroit distribution company is taking on its biggest order yet, sending hundreds of thousands of parts to Ford to help build ventilators. 

The folks at RM Wright company in Farmington Hills usually distribute parts that go into machinery, often, for cars. But now during this pandemic, they're delivering parts to make ventilators. They have the small fittings and needle valves necessary to run them.

"Definitely an unofficial duty and a real obligation to this country," says Mike Hamzey, president and C.O.O. 

The end of March marked an uncertain moment when most businesses beginning to shut down, but RM Wright company was deemed essential so they can distribute parts to factories around the area.

Then, they got a massive, multi-million-dollar order from Ford, which is building ventilators at its Ypsilanti plant. Ford asked for parts to make 50,000 ventilators. 

"It's huge. It's an extremely big moment in the history of our company. It's the biggest order we've had in 80 years," Hamzey said. 

The company employs 26 people but, just like many other businesses they were worried because sales were down considerably.

"Because of the paycheck prevention program and because of this large project we've been able to stay status quo," Hamzey said. 

Hamzey said he expects another order for parts to go to 10,000 or 20,000 more ventilators.

"We expect we're gonna be right around a million parts that we're going to end up supplying through the life of this project." 

Hamzey and his team feel useful and grateful to know where their products are going.

"It's an extremely gratifying feeling to know that you are able to in some small part help out during this difficult, difficult time for everybody in the world."