May 8, 2020—Ford and 3M are delivering newly designed, powered air-purifying respirators to front-line workers, per a report by CNBC.
About 90 United Auto Workers union members have assembled more than 10,000 respirators at a Ford plant near Flat Rock, Mich. 3M is selling and distributing the Ford-designed respirators through 3M-authorized distributors.
The companies said any profits made from sales will be donated to COVID-19 related nonprofit organizations, according to the report.
The respirators include a hood and face shield to cover head and shoulders. A high-efficiency filter system provides a supply of filtered air for up to eight hours. The air-blower system is similar to the fan found in a Ford F-150 pickup’s ventilated seats.
