March 24, 2020 / Phoebe Wall Howard
Ford Motor Company announced Tuesday that it will join the effort to “speed production” of respirators to help fight the coronavirus pandemic.
The Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker said in a statement that it’s collaborating with 3M to manufacture “Powered Air-Purifying Respirators.” The two are working on a “new design leveraging parts from both companies,” according to Ford. 
It is possible Ford will produce the new respirator in a Ford facility in Michigan.
Discussions have been intense over the last four days, officials said in a conference call. Ford engineers are playing a key role in the effort and using parts that are currently used in the bestselling F-150 pickup, the company said in a call.