3M, Ford team up to make respirators

MINNEAPOLIS ― 3M and Ford will partner to manufacture air-purifying respirators for health care facilities, according to a joint announcement this week. As the Big Three auto makers seek to revive their businesses during the coronavirus outbreak, Ford is “going into our parts bin to see what can be done” to help 3M make its hooded respirators, Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford told the Today show. “We are using fans from our electric seats that are air cooled and heated,” he said. “We are finding that those fans are useful in producing some of these other items.” 3M is facing high demand for its powered air-purifying respirators during the pandemic. “We’re exploring all available opportunities to further expand 3M’s capacity and get health care supplies as quickly as possible to where they’re needed most—which includes partnering with other great companies like Ford,” said CEO Mike Roman in a statement.