FORD FURTHER POSTPONES NA PRODUCTION RESTART TO PROTECT WORKFORCE - UNKNOWN RESTART DATE

hybrid2bev

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2019
Threads
75
Messages
4,071
Reaction score
11,093
Location
USA
Vehicles
2021 Job 1 Premium4X - EAP Member
Country flag
  • Ford is delaying its planned restart of certain North America plants to help protect its workers
  • In collaboration with GE Healthcare, Ford still is planning to produce an FDA-cleared ventilator at its Rawsonville Components Plant beginning the week of April 20, supported by paid volunteer UAW workers
  • Ford and autoworkers’ unions – especially the UAW – are working closely on initiatives to keep the workforce safe, including upgrading social distancing guidelines, requiring the workers to self-certify daily that they are not experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms – and more
DEARBORN, Mich., March 31, 2020 – Ford is delaying the restart of production at its North America plants to help protect its workers. The company had been aiming to restart production April 6 at Hermosillo Assembly Plant and April 14 at several key U.S. plants – and now has further postponed startup dates, which will be announced later.

“The health and safety of our workforce, dealers, customers, partners and communities remains our highest priority,” said Kumar Galhotra, Ford president, North America. “We are working very closely with union leaders – especially at the UAW – to develop additional health and safety procedures aimed at helping keep our workforce safe and healthy.”

Rawsonville Components Plant will restart the week of April 20 to produce the Model A-E ventilator, in collaboration with GE Healthcare, supported by paid volunteer UAW workers. The Model A-E ventilator is a basic, cost-efficient design that addresses the needs of most COVID-19 patients. Production will quickly scale up to produce 50,000 ventilators by July 4 – helping to meet the growing demand in the U.S. Approximately 500 paid volunteer UAW workers will be building these ventilators. At this time, ventilator production will be the only work being done at the Rawsonville plant.

“Today’s decision by Ford is the right decision for our members, their families and our nation,” said UAW International President Rory Gamble. “Under Vice President Gerald Kariem, the UAW Ford Department continues to work closely with our local unions and Ford to make sure that as we return to production all members are safe, and our communities are protected from this spreading pandemic.”

When Rawsonville Components Plant begins production of ventilators, the workforce will notice additional health measures in place. Workers will have to self-certify online every day that they are not experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms. If they are, they will not be allowed to work. Work stations will be spaced at least six feet apart to maintain proper social distancing. Shifts will be separated so there is no contact between workers in the different shifts.

Ford and the UAW are also working on several high-tech solutions to help keep our workforce safe.

As developments unfold, we will share additional details.


https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2020/03/31/ford-na-production.html
Sponsored

 

pbojanoski

Well-Known Member
First Name
Peter
Joined
Jan 4, 2020
Threads
14
Messages
304
Reaction score
326
Location
Pennsylvania
Vehicles
Jaguar I-Pace
Country flag
  • Ford is delaying its planned restart of certain North America plants to help protect its workers
  • In collaboration with GE Healthcare, Ford still is planning to produce an FDA-cleared ventilator at its Rawsonville Components Plant beginning the week of April 20, supported by paid volunteer UAW workers
  • Ford and autoworkers’ unions – especially the UAW – are working closely on initiatives to keep the workforce safe, including upgrading social distancing guidelines, requiring the workers to self-certify daily that they are not experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms – and more
DEARBORN, Mich., March 31, 2020 – Ford is delaying the restart of production at its North America plants to help protect its workers. The company had been aiming to restart production April 6 at Hermosillo Assembly Plant and April 14 at several key U.S. plants – and now has further postponed startup dates, which will be announced later.

“The health and safety of our workforce, dealers, customers, partners and communities remains our highest priority,” said Kumar Galhotra, Ford president, North America. “We are working very closely with union leaders – especially at the UAW – to develop additional health and safety procedures aimed at helping keep our workforce safe and healthy.”

Rawsonville Components Plant will restart the week of April 20 to produce the Model A-E ventilator, in collaboration with GE Healthcare, supported by paid volunteer UAW workers. The Model A-E ventilator is a basic, cost-efficient design that addresses the needs of most COVID-19 patients. Production will quickly scale up to produce 50,000 ventilators by July 4 – helping to meet the growing demand in the U.S. Approximately 500 paid volunteer UAW workers will be building these ventilators. At this time, ventilator production will be the only work being done at the Rawsonville plant.

“Today’s decision by Ford is the right decision for our members, their families and our nation,” said UAW International President Rory Gamble. “Under Vice President Gerald Kariem, the UAW Ford Department continues to work closely with our local unions and Ford to make sure that as we return to production all members are safe, and our communities are protected from this spreading pandemic.”

When Rawsonville Components Plant begins production of ventilators, the workforce will notice additional health measures in place. Workers will have to self-certify online every day that they are not experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms. If they are, they will not be allowed to work. Work stations will be spaced at least six feet apart to maintain proper social distancing. Shifts will be separated so there is no contact between workers in the different shifts.

Ford and the UAW are also working on several high-tech solutions to help keep our workforce safe.

As developments unfold, we will share additional details.


https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2020/03/31/ford-na-production.html
Sounds like some good planning for keeping people safe and getting this country back to work. We need to expand this effort to other businesses. Recently announced 5 minute coronavirus testing would also be great to utilize so that workers can be tested often. Love to hear smart people and creative solutions to keeping our lives moving.
 

dbsb3233

Well-Known Member
First Name
TimCO
Joined
Dec 30, 2019
Threads
54
Messages
9,299
Reaction score
10,814
Location
Colorado, USA
Vehicles
2021 Mustang Mach-E FE, 2023 Bronco Sport OB
Occupation
Retired
Country flag
Some models may be delayed that long (perhaps even purposely as demand for big-ticket items falls off the cliff this year), but some models will surely be prioritized within the overall total. And the OP has posted that Ford is making the Mach-e a priority. So it could see a shorter delay. A lot of work is continuing remotely in the US, and the vehicle and it's batteries are manufactured outside the US anyway so that's a different set of factors.

It's all just speculation at this point. Wildly fluid situation with way too many unpredictable variables.
 

MNAce

Active Member
First Name
Phil
Joined
Jan 11, 2020
Threads
1
Messages
30
Reaction score
36
Location
St Paul, MN
Vehicles
Ford Fusion
Country flag
I keep thinking about the sourcing of things like batteries that are beyond Ford’s control.
 


zhackwyatt

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2019
Threads
14
Messages
1,603
Reaction score
2,616
Location
Arizona
Vehicles
'21 InfBlu Prem MMEx Past: '13 C-Max '98 Explorer
Country flag
I keep thinking about the sourcing of things like batteries that are beyond Ford’s control.
There are probably thousands of components in a car that Ford is not directly responsible for making.
 
OP
OP
hybrid2bev

hybrid2bev

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2019
Threads
75
Messages
4,071
Reaction score
11,093
Location
USA
Vehicles
2021 Job 1 Premium4X - EAP Member
Country flag
Last edited:

dbsb3233

Well-Known Member
First Name
TimCO
Joined
Dec 30, 2019
Threads
54
Messages
9,299
Reaction score
10,814
Location
Colorado, USA
Vehicles
2021 Mustang Mach-E FE, 2023 Bronco Sport OB
Occupation
Retired
Country flag
Fortunately for the Mach-e, actual production wasn't due to start until June so it may be less effected. I still expect some delay, but probably less than most other models. (All just speculation of course.)
 

dbsb3233

Well-Known Member
First Name
TimCO
Joined
Dec 30, 2019
Threads
54
Messages
9,299
Reaction score
10,814
Location
Colorado, USA
Vehicles
2021 Mustang Mach-E FE, 2023 Bronco Sport OB
Occupation
Retired
Country flag
Thus the rest of my post that you clipped out.
 

cometguy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2019
Threads
0
Messages
93
Reaction score
88
Location
New England
Vehicles
2018 Panamera 4 E-Hybrid Sport Turismo
Country flag
 




Top