Ford Australia to help fight COVID-19
Blue Oval to produce and donate 100,000 face shields for coronavirus healthcare workersFord Australia has joined the fight against the COVID-19 coronavirus by manufacturing and donating up to 100,000 face shields for frontline healthcare workers.
Production is now underway at the same Melbourne facility that stopped producing Falcons in 2016, following the testing of prototype face shields in five Victorian hospitals.
Ford’s move follows a similar announcement earlier this week by Toyota Australia, which is also producing important medical supplies to meet high demand caused a global shortage of medical Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Around 50,000 face shields have already been assembled by a ‘core team’ of workers at production cells at Ford’s Broadmeadows HQ.
Ford Australia says it worked with a number of local suppliers “to procure the materials for the face shields and overcome challenges with availability of materials on the global market”.
“We said from the beginning of COVID-19 that any way we could help, we would help,” said Ford Australia and New Zealand president and CEO, Kay Hart.
“Producing face shields is certainly something new for us, but our innovation team and engineers were able to test a number of different designs in hospitals and with their input we have been able to get the face shield right for the people who will be wearing them.
“With testing of the prototype shield now complete, we’re quickly ramping up production and working to dispatch the shields to medical workers and other facilities that need them.
“It’s great that our team has been able to quickly pivot to put their skills towards producing the face shield while also continuing their global work designing and engineering pick-up trucks and SUVs.
“While most us aren’t out there on the frontlines, our team here in Australia is proud to make a contribution as all work together to get through these really tough times.
Ford says it continues to liaise with the Victorian government on the ongoing need for medical supplies.
It is among a number of auto brands to announce a range of measures designed to help customers during the COVID-19 outbreak.
In Ford’s case, this includes an extension of its Ford 2nd Car program to health workers at no charge, and the deferral of myFord Finance car loan repayments for up to six months.
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