On Monday, GE Healthcare and Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) decided to manufacture 50,000 ventilators with the help of UAW workers in the next hundred days. Airon Corp manufactures a simple ventilator device under license from GE Healthcare. The innovative ventilator operates on battery and helps to fight COVID-19.
Quick production of ventilators
Vice President (Enterprise Product Line Management) at Ford, Jim Baumbick said the simplified design allows the teams to produce the ventilators quickly. Both GE and Ford would use the FDA approved design of Airon to manufacture ventilators with the help of UAW members. They will commence the production of GE/Airon Model A-E ventilator in April 2020 at Ypsilanti based Rawsonville Components Plant of Ford.
Airon is a small company engaged in the production of high-tech pneumatic life support products. GE Healthcare played a vital role in bringing the design of Airon to the attention of Ford to produce ventilators on a large scale. Chief Quality Officer and Vice President of GE Healthcare, Tom Westrick said the companies are working in close coordination with the government in the US for this product.
Ford and GE Healthcare moves fast to produce ventilators
According to a communiqué from Ford, GE Healthcare and Ford are moving fast to produce ventilators to support the Trump Administration in its war against the COVID-19.
Director (Global Manufacturing Core Engineering) at Ford, Adrian Price said the company contributes people in Florida as part of its efforts to provide logistics and engineering support. He said the company is quick in forming a team to support the process. Ford expects to manufacture 1,500 ventilators initially by the end of April 2020, 12,000 by May end, and 50,000 by July-end this year. Weekly production at Ford at full scale is 7,200 ventilators.
GE aviation workers stages protest
General Electric aviation workers staged protests in Massachusetts, demanding the company to transform the unutilized aircraft manufacturing facilities to manufacture ventilators. General Electric has last week announced plans to lay off a large chunk of its workforce. Medical workers and officials are calling the Federal Government to pressurize companies like General Electric to produce medical products like ventilators. A spokesperson for IUE-CWA that represents the aviation workers of General Electric said the workers in a dilemma about their future because of the proposed layoffs. Conversion of General Electric facilities helps to produce ventilators on a large scale and fight coronavirus. General Electric is already manufacturing respirators. It has doubled up the production of ventilators.
