Automaker Ford says it is teaming up with 3M and GE Healthcare to produce medical equipment for first responders working to address the coronavirus outbreak.
"The way you need to think about it, is it's like a puzzle. So there will be parts made inside Ford. There will be parts made at GE. There will be parts made at outside suppliers. And the coordination and the speed of that, is what we know as like a conventional assembly line. And we’ll be setting lines up in those various places outside of Ford to put these together," Ford Motor Company CEO, Jim Hackett said.
Ford says it is working with 3M to manufacture Powered Air-Purifying Respirators and with GE Healthcare to expand production of a version of GE's existing ventilator design. Ford says it is also teaming up with the United Auto Workers Union to assemble more than 100,000 plastic face shields per week and will also be using its 3-D capabilities to help make disposable respirator masks.
Ford joins General Motors, Chrysler and Tesla among car makers turning attentionto combating the virus. President Trump has challenged automakers to help, saying "lets see how good you are."
Contains footage from CNN.
