Ford dealers in South Africa, through the Ford National Dealer Council, have stepped up to support the Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa’s (FMCSA’s) face shield manufacturing initiative by contributing R1-million to the project.
Ford suppliers and business partners, including Absa, have also donated more than R900 000 towards the production of Covid-19 personal protective equipment.
To date, Ford’s Silverton assembly plant in Pretoria has produced 100 000 face shields, which are mostly donated to the Department of Health’s centralised distribution centre in Centurion.
Eighty-five Ford employees and supplier company volunteers are involved in the production of the face shields, with Ford covering the cost of the labour for assembling the kits and the packaging process. All funds raised are used to buy the face shield input materials.
FMCSA aims to donate 500 000 face shields.
The reusable face shields are manufactured to global health standards, using a clear polyethylene sheet, polyurethane foam padding and a headband so that it wraps around the user’s face.