Crisis Alliance Reflects Power of Partnership
April 1, 2020
GM, JR Automation, and Esys Automation raced to create a mask factory in six days that will produce millions of surgical masks to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
By Larry Walsh, CEO, The 2112 Group
This is the feel-good partnership story of the day. And it’s not our typical Channelnomics story. It does, however, reflect the power of partnerships in times of crisis.
Over the past week, the Trump administration invoked the Defense Production Act to compel American manufacturers to switch production of their usual products to much needed medical equipment and supplies. One of the most crucial items needed across the country is surgical masks, which help healthcare providers avoid contracting and spreading COVID-19, the disease resulting from the novel coronavirus.
The United States quickly ran out of its stockpiles of masks. With healthcare providers treating hundreds of new virus victims daily, experts say the U.S. healthcare system alone needs 3.5 billion masks.
More than 150 countries are dealing with COVID-19 and facing mask shortages that are driving up prices for something that ordinarily costs 75 cents.
Apparel manufacturers are shifting their domestic capabilities to produce these masks also. Ralph Lauren pledged to manufacture 250,000 masks through its distribution center. Brooks Brothers is converting its Massachusetts factory to produce masks instead of suits. And foreign suppliers are increasing production.
But it’s not enough. The Trump administration ordered General Motors, which has a clean-room manufacturing facility, to produce masks. The clean room in Warren, Michigan, is ordinarily for the production of vehicle electronics. Making sterile masks is possible, but not the easiest conversion.
Enter JR Automation, a provider of automation equipment and support services, and Esys Automation, a provider of manufacturing automation consulting and development services. The two companies, working in concert with GM, design and built a mask manufacturing facility in six days.
GM sought the support of JR Automation, a subsidiary of Hitachi, on Sunday, March 22. The company worked with Esys to assess the facilities GM planned to use for the manufacturing process. They created workflows for the space, identified the needed equipment, acquired and assembled the machinery, and helped GM get the facility online.
On Friday, March 27, GM produced the first masks off the new assembly line. The car manufacturer will deliver the first 20,000 masks within days. When the facility reaches full production capacity, it will deliver up to 50,000 masks a day and 1.5 million masks per month.
How the three companies came together in a time of crisis to quickly overcome engineering and logistical problems to produce much-needed supplies is a tremendous example of the power of partnership and collaboration. The result is nothing short of remarkable and a lesson in what’s possible when smart and talented organizations collaborate for the common good.
Larry Walsh is the CEO of The 2112 Group, a business strategy and research firm serving the technology industry, and the publisher of Channelnomics, a news and analysis site for technology vendors, distributors, and partners. Follow Larry on Twitter at @lmwalsh2112.
Over the past week, the Trump administration invoked the Defense Production Act to compel American manufacturers to switch production of their usual products to much needed medical equipment and supplies. One of the most crucial items needed across the country is surgical masks, which help healthcare providers avoid contracting and spreading COVID-19, the disease resulting from the novel coronavirus.
The United States quickly ran out of its stockpiles of masks. With healthcare providers treating hundreds of new virus victims daily, experts say the U.S. healthcare system alone needs 3.5 billion masks.
More than 150 countries are dealing with COVID-19 and facing mask shortages that are driving up prices for something that ordinarily costs 75 cents.
Apparel manufacturers are shifting their domestic capabilities to produce these masks also. Ralph Lauren pledged to manufacture 250,000 masks through its distribution center. Brooks Brothers is converting its Massachusetts factory to produce masks instead of suits. And foreign suppliers are increasing production.
But it’s not enough. The Trump administration ordered General Motors, which has a clean-room manufacturing facility, to produce masks. The clean room in Warren, Michigan, is ordinarily for the production of vehicle electronics. Making sterile masks is possible, but not the easiest conversion.
Enter JR Automation, a provider of automation equipment and support services, and Esys Automation, a provider of manufacturing automation consulting and development services. The two companies, working in concert with GM, design and built a mask manufacturing facility in six days.
GM sought the support of JR Automation, a subsidiary of Hitachi, on Sunday, March 22. The company worked with Esys to assess the facilities GM planned to use for the manufacturing process. They created workflows for the space, identified the needed equipment, acquired and assembled the machinery, and helped GM get the facility online.
On Friday, March 27, GM produced the first masks off the new assembly line. The car manufacturer will deliver the first 20,000 masks within days. When the facility reaches full production capacity, it will deliver up to 50,000 masks a day and 1.5 million masks per month.
How the three companies came together in a time of crisis to quickly overcome engineering and logistical problems to produce much-needed supplies is a tremendous example of the power of partnership and collaboration. The result is nothing short of remarkable and a lesson in what’s possible when smart and talented organizations collaborate for the common good.
Larry Walsh is the CEO of The 2112 Group, a business strategy and research firm serving the technology industry, and the publisher of Channelnomics, a news and analysis site for technology vendors, distributors, and partners. Follow Larry on Twitter at @lmwalsh2112.