DAYS, SAVANNAH. >> ALL RIGHT, GABE, THANK YOU SO
MUCH.
MUCH. AS MENTIONED, FORD MOTOR COMPANY
IS STEPPING IN TO HELP FILL THIS
URGENT NEED FOR MEDICAL
SUPPLIES.
SUPPLIES. WE’RE JOINED BY EXECUTIVE
CHAIRMAN BILL FORD.
GOOD MORNING TO YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING, SAVANNAH.
>> WE CAN GET INTO THE DETAILS
IN A MOMENT, BUT YOU’VE HEARD
THE CRIES OF HEALTH CARE
WORKERS, PEOPLE ON THE FRONT
LINES.
LINES. I KNOW FORD IS GOING TO START
MANUFACTURING SOME OF THESE
ITEMS.
ITEMS. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?
>> AFTER YOU HAVE-- WE ACTUALLY
FOUR BIG EFFORTS.
WE’RE WORKING WITH GE ON
VENTILATORS TO DRAMATICALLY
INCREASE THE CAPABILITY THEY
HAVE TO DELIVER THESE IN
NUMBERS.
NUMBERS. WE’RE ALSO WORKING WITH 3M FOR
AIR PURIFYING RESPIRATORS.
WE’RE GOING TO HELP THEM
DRAMATICALLY INCREASE THE
PRODUCTION OF THOSE.
IN-HOUSE WE’RE ALSO DOING FACE
SHIELDS, TRYING TO PRODUCE
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF THOSE A
WEEK AND N95 MASKS.
WE’RE 3D PRINTING THEM.
SO WE HAVE A LOT GOING.
THIS IS VERY MUCH KIND OF WHAT
OUR COMPANY DOES WHEN WE’RE
NEEDED AND OUR EMPLOYEES ARE
AMAZING.
AMAZING. >> IT’S INTERESTING TO SEE HOW
YOU TEAMED UP WITH OTHER
COMPANIES.
COMPANIES. I HEARD YOU HAD TO KIND OF GET
THE TOUGH OFF THE SHELF TO WORK
OUT, FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK THE
MASKS, I THINK YOU’RE USING SOME
ITEMS YOU HAD IN STOCK?
>> YEAH, I MEAN, LOOK, WHEN
YOU’RE IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS,
YOU DO ANYTHING YOU CAN.
SO WE WERE USING FANS FROM OUR
ELECTRIC -- OUR SEATS THAT ARE
AIR COOLED AND HEATED.
WE’RE ACTUALLY FINDING THOSE
FANS ARE USEFUL IN PRODUCTION OF
SOME OF THESE OTHER ITEMS.
SO WE’RE GOING INTO OUR PARTS
BIN TO SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE.
WE’RE A VERY OPPORTUNISTIC
COMPANY.
COMPANY. WE HAVE GREAT ENGINEERS AND
GREAT MANUFACTURING PEOPLE AND
WE’RE PUTTING THEM TO WORK.
>> HOW SOON AND HOW MANY WHEN IT
COMES TO SOME OF THIS
VENTILATORS YOU TALKED ABOUT,
RESPIRATORS YOU TALKED ABOUT,
MASKS AND SO FORTH?
>> I MEAN, AS SOON AS WE CAN GET
THEM.
THEM. WE THINK WE CAN -- LIKE ON THE
MASKS, WE’RE DOING THOSE, AND
WE’RE TRYING TO GEAR UP TO
100,000 A WEEK OF THOSE.
WITH 3M ON THE AIR PURIFYING
RESPIRATORS, WE’RE TRYING TO
INCREASE THE ABILITY THERE FROM
SIX TO TEN TIMES WHAT THEY CAN
CURRENTLY MAKE.
CURRENTLY MAKE. MAYBE WE’LL DO THAT IN OUR
FACILITIES AS WELL.
SAME THING WITH THE VENTILATORS.
WE POTENTIALLY NOT ONLY CAN HELP
GE INCREASE THEIR PRODUCTION BUT
WE CAN DO IT IN OUR FACILITIES,
TOO.
TOO. OBVIOUSLY WHEN WE DO IT, WE HAVE
TO MAKE SURE OUR EMPLOYEES ARE
SAFE AND WE’RE WORKING WITH OAW
ON THAT AS WELL.
>> JUST TO UNDERSTAND WHERE
YOU’RE COMING FROM HERE, YOU
MENTIONED THAT FORD HAS A LONG
HISTORY OF HELPING OUT.
IS IT A COMPANY THAT’S BEEN
AROUND FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
IS THERE ANY PROFIT ASSOCIATED
WITH THIS?
WITH THIS? ARE YOU DONATING THESE
MATERIALS?
MATERIALS? HOW IS THAT GOING TO WORK OUT?
>> HONESTLY, SAVANNAH, WE HAVE
NO IDEA.
NO IDEA. WE’RE GOING AS FAST AS WE CAN.
NOBODY TALKED ABOUT THE
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF THIS
BECAUSE THIS IS A NATIONAL
EMERGENCY.
EMERGENCY. WE’LL SORT ALL THAT OUT LATER.
BUT WE NEED TO GET GOING.
WE ARE GETTING GOING.
WE HAVEN’T TALKED TO ANYBODY
ABOUT ANY KIND OF REIMBURSEMENT
OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
YOU KNOW, I SUPPOSE WE CAN SORT
ALL THAT OUT LATER.
THIS IS A COMPANY, AS YOU POINT
OUT, WE’VE BEEN AROUND 117
YEARS.
YEARS. WE WERE THE ARSENAL DEMOCRACY
DURING TWO WORLD WARS.
WE BUILT IRON LUNGS FOR POLIO
VICTIMS.
VICTIMS. WHENEVER WE’RE CALLED ON, WE’RE
THERE.
THERE. >> AND FINALLY BEFORE I LET YOU
GO, IS THIS SOMETHING YOU
COORDINATORED WITH THE WHITE
HOUSE?
HOUSE? DID THEY ASK YOU TO DO THIS OR
IS THIS SOMETHING FORD DID ON
YOUR THEIR OWN.
>> WE DID IT ON OUR OWN.
OBVIOUSLY THE WHITE HOUSE HAS
PUT A CALL OUT FOR COMPANIES TO
HELP BUT FRANKLY WE WERE GETTING
ALL THIS IN MOTION BEFORE THAT.
WE’RE SOO HAPPY TO HELP AND
WE’RE GOING TO DO ABSOLUTELY
EVERYTHING WE CAN.
>> ALL RIGHT.
BILL FORD, THANK YOU FOR BEING