Deere says it plans to make 225,000 face shields for health care workers fighting COVID-19

Des Moines Register

Deere & Co. said Thursday it plans to make 225,000 protective face shields to help meet the needs of health care workers battling the coronavirus outbreak across the country.

The farm and construction equipment manufacturer said the first 25,000 face shields will be delivered to 16 U.S. Deere factories in eight states for local distribution as well as its U.S. Deere-Hitachi factory.

John Deere Seeding Moline assembler Jose Martinez assembles face shields for health care workers.

The company said it's ordered materials and supplies to produce an additional 200,000 face shields for critical need locations nationwide.

Deere officials said health care organizations have expressed a critical need for additional personal protective equipment in cities where the company has manufacturing facilities.

"These personal connections and conversations have led us to action. We knew we needed to do more to help the true heroes in this fight against this virus," said David Ottavianelli, Deere's director of strategic projects and labor relations, in a call with reporters.

"These health care professionals, they're our neighbors, they might be members of our own families. We all know them," Ottavianelli said. "We go to the same churches, schools, and they take care of our employees and families."

The Moline, Illinois-based company is a large Iowa manufacturing employer, with operations in Ankeny, Dubuque, Urbandale, Waterloo, Davenport, Ottumwa, Clarion and Paton.

Employees at Deere's seeding group in Moline began making the masks Wednesday, the company said. The production facility makes planting equipment and precision ag products.

Jerry Miller, an assembler at John Deere Seeding Moline, assembles protective face shields for health care workers.

The company said it's using an open-source design from the University of Wisconsin-Madison for the project and tapping the workers' "expertise, skills and innovation" to make the face shields.

The company said it's working with the United Auto Workers union, the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and the Illinois Manufacturers' Association on the project.

Donnelle Eller covers agriculture, the environment and energy for the Register. Reach her at deller@registermedia.com or 515-284-8457.

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