DETROIT — Ford Motor Company is partnering with General Electric to produce 50,000 ventilators in the next 100 days to help with the fight against coronavirus (COVID-19) in Michigan, according to a report from ClickonDetroit.com.

The automaker will utilize the design of Airon Corp.’s FDA-cleared ventilators. After the original 50,000, Ford will be able to produce 30,000 per month of the devices, which are used to treat seriously ill coronavirus patients fighting for their lives in hospitals.

The Florida-based company’s design uses air pressure and does not need electricity. Ford will begin by sending a team to work with Airon to boost production at their facility. Starting the week of April 20, production will begin at the Rawsonville Components Ford Plant in Ypsilanti, the report said.

The plant will produce the ventilators nearly around the clock, and will be made by 500 paid volunteer UAW-represented employees working on three shifts. The plan is to produce about 7,200 Airon-licensed Model A-E ventilators per week. Ford expects to make 1,500 of the machines by the end of April, 12,000 by the end of May and 50,000 by July 4.

“The Ford and GE Healthcare teams, working creatively and tirelessly, have found a way to produce this vitally needed ventilator quickly and in meaningful numbers,” said Jim Hackett, Ford’s president and CEO. “By producing this ventilator in Michigan, in strong partnership with the UAW, we can help health care workers save lives, and that’s our number one priority.”

Rory Gamble, president of the UAW, released the following statement.

“From the days of Rosie the Riveter, UAW members have stepped up during difficult times in this nation’s history for the good of us all. Today’s announcement by Ford that UAW volunteer paid employees will make respirators at Rawsonville is in that tradition. We are working very closely with Ford to make sure that all CDC guidelines are followed and that we are exercising an abundance of caution inside the plant. Ford and our UAW Ford members should be commended for stepping up in these very uncertain times.”

Trump invokes Defense Production Act for ventilator manufacturing

President Trump on Thursday invoked the Defense Production Act to aid companies building ventilators for coronavirus patients to receive the supply of materials they need.

In a memo released by the White House, Trump directed the U.S. Health and Human Services secretary to use his authority to help facilitate the supply of ventilator materials for six companies – General Electric Co, Hill-Rom Holdings Inc, Medtronic Plc, Resmed Inc, Royal Philips N.V. and Vyaire Medical Inc.

Lawmakers have clamored for Trump to invoke the act to end or at least reduce the country’s yawning shortage of ventilators. Because the fast-spreading coronavirus is a respiratory disease, the need for ventilators is multiplying by the hundreds each day. On Thursday Johns Hopkins University said more than 1 million people around the world currently have the coronavirus.

State officials and health experts said the United States will ultimately need tens of thousands of additional ventilators.