General Motors of Canada has been contracted to make ten million face masks for the Canadian government, using a shuttered auto plant that built its last vehicle in December 2019.
The factory, in Oshawa, Ont., was closed by the automaker as part of its cost-cutting measures, along with two vehicle assembly and two engine assembly plants in the U.S.
But after it announced the assembly closure, GM Canada said it would invest $170 million into the facility, outfitting it for parts stamping and sub-assembly, along with a track for testing autonomous vehicles, and retaining 300 employees.
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At the onset of COVID-19 and reports of shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) at hospitals and care facilities, GM readied the plant over a three-week period to make masks. It received a license to manufacture medical devices on April 22, built and installed the necessary equipment, and prepared a supply chain for materials.
It recalled and trained 60 workers in partnership with Unifor, the auto workers’ union. Production will run over two shifts in a special “clean room” with enhanced safety protocols, including physical distancing, enhanced site cleaning, and pre-entry health screening.
The contract is for ten million masks over one year, and GM will make them at cost for the Public Health Agency of Canada.
(Driving.ca)
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