It was announced last March 24th that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will be stepping in to help health workers and first responders of the pandemic by manufacturing and donating protective face masks, with an initial goal of producing 1 million face masks per month. With FCA’s manufacturing, supply chain and engineering expertise, production of face masks could greatly contribute in the fight against the pandemic.
Rallying FCA Group’s resources, it has allocated its Comau facility in China for the production and manufacturing of protective face masks. From the start of production in April, capacity has been increased with a target to produce 3 million face masks per month, with over 1 million masks manufactured in the first 10 days of production. As a priority, over 200,000 face masks are being donated to India to support those most vulnerable in the community. Shortly, donations will commence in China and the United States, followed by Indonesia, Philippines and Australia.
The cross-functional project team for China was formed with a plan executed in less than 24-hours. The team procured raw materials and machinery, established an ISO Class 8 clean room, coupled with obtaining the appropriate certifications, export licenses and government approvals. According to third party audits at a product and process performance level, FCA has met the best European and US standards in the medical field. The mask production line is staffed by a team of Comau operators who have each undergone extensive training coupled with understanding lessons learned from other manufacturers in the industry. The production team works in a strictly controlled environment, adhering to the highest safety and hygiene standards.
“We all have a role to play in supporting those people and countries most in need at this time. Following an evaluation of the ways that we could rally our internal talent and resources, we quickly identified an opportunity to contribute to the global demand for protective face masks.” said Max Trantini, Chief Operating Officer, FCA APAC Region.
FCA will continue the manufacturing of protective face masks for as long as it’s required to support those countries and communities in need.
Auto Nation Group, General Distributor of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram in the Philippines, intends to donate these FCA produced face masks to the Philippine government, which is expected to arrive in the country by June. ANG will coordinate with the appropriate government body to ensure that these protective face masks are received by our front liners.
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