Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is in the process of converting its first plant to produce face masks for health care workers and first responders.
FCA says the first machines have been installed with supply “coming on-stream in the coming weeks."
The vehicle manufacturer is expanding its program of measures to support coronavirus relief efforts, and is “focused on two principal areas: charities providing food services to children and support for a range of technical, logistical and manufacturing programs, such as face mask production.”
FCA also is investing technical, logistical and manufacturing resources at medical equipment and personal protective equipment.
“With the donation of face masks produced by the company starting in the coming weeks, the company will invest to extend that production capacity to other plants and ultimately donate masks to first responders and health care workers across the world.
“Drawing on experience from the company’s engineering and logistics team in Italy who are assisting a local ventilator manufacturer, FCA is engaged with other companies producing ventilators and other much needed medical equipment.”
Starting immediately, FCA will provide more than one million meals to school-age children in communities around its plants in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Indiana.
“The program will then be extended nationwide in the U.S. and to Canada and Mexico, supporting similar relief efforts for kids who would normally access school meal services.”