Ford is working with 3M and GE to produce respirators and ventilators, and the UAW to make medical equipment, as the coronavirus pandemic intensifies

• Ford will work with 3M, GE, and the UAW to make respirators, ventilators and medical face shields.
• "This is such a critical time for America and the world," Ford chairman Bill Ford said in a statement.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Ford announced Tuesday that it would work with 3M to produce respirators, GE to build ventilators, and the United Auto Workers to ramp up production of plastic medical face shields, all to combat the worsening coronavirus pandemic.

"This is such a critical time for America and the world," Ford chairman Bill Ford said in a statement.

"It is a time for action and cooperation. By coming together across multiple industries, we can make a real difference for people in need and for those on the front lines of this crisis."

In addition to using its 3D-printing capabilities for face shields, Ford is looking to repurpose components that currently go into vehicles to make respirators and ventilators, and could use its factories to produce the much-needed products.

"Ford is working with 3M to manufacture at scale Powered Air-Purifying Respirators (PAPRs)," the carmaker said.

"Ford and GE Healthcare are working together to expand production of a simplified version of GE Healthcare's existing ventilator design to support patients with respiratory failure or difficulty breathing."

The automaker has shutdown nearly all its global production in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Get the latest coronavirus news and updates on how COVID-19 impacts our daily lives and businesses.