ISM and Ford Step Up to the Challenge to Save Lives

Courage is grace under pressure. ~ Ernest Hemingway

An Unforeseen Global Crisis2020 began just like any other year. People celebrated as they watched the ball drop in Times Square with delightful and thunderous cheers. They toasted, hugged, and set New Year’s resolutions. The sweet and faint smells lingered from the poetic sounds of busy restaurants where families and friends gathered. But little did we know that a dark storm was brewing in Wuhan that would spread across the globe and change our lives and the way we look at the world forever.

In the early days of the pandemic, this sudden unforeseen crisis challenged every aspect of our daily lives. We plunged deeper into uncertainty. People were dying. Business-as-usual was unrecognizable. Storefronts were closed, and only the essential businesses were allowed to operate at minimum capacity.

ISM’s Warehouse/Facilities Manager
Marty with a Ford Motor Company shipment

Ventilators in Short SupplyThe epidemic was a highly emotional issue, as the lives of our friends and our loved ones were on the line. Ventilators were crucial in keeping the severely ill COVID-19 patients alive — but hospitals across the country were facing a critical shortage of these life-saving medical devices amid the rapidly spreading and unpredictable pandemic.

In the initial period of confusion of this global crisis, our sales representative, Ryan Webber, connected with an ambitious and determined Ford Purchasing Manager searching for resourceful means to get the required components to assemble these must-have ventilators. This engagement would lead to ISM’s involvement with the Ford Project.

Together we established unique avenues to mass-produce medical equipment, utilize existing materials and resources, and deliver these imperative medical supplies and finished products at a full-throttle speed.

First shipment from ISM

The Respiratory Task Force is BornAt this time, the Ford Motor Company had just signed an executive contract with FEMA to manufacture and supply 50,000 vital ventilators across the country. With other pneumatic fittings vendors, ISM joined forces with Ford Motor Company to build and deliver these lifesaving machines.

It was an all-hands-on-deck response to the desperate and the immediate need for these critical machines, and ISM was up for the strenuous challenge. We were face-to-face with a demanding task, as we had multiple suppliers to deal with, little to no lead time, an immense quantity of parts, and a looming deadline. At this juncture, ISM developed the ‘Respiratory Task Force’ that consisted of every branch of the business, from purchasing to shipping.

To stay on task logistically, the team had to meet daily and work tirelessly, as the heavyweight of saving lives rested on our shoulders. Ford had committed to building 50,000 ventilators, and we were an integral part of this plan. Lives were on the line, and failure was not an option.

Bags of ventilator parts

Creativity and Resourcefulness in a CrunchDuring the second phase of this mission, we supplied around 17 different essential parts to Ford Motor Company. One of these parts, we simply knew that we could not provide. But that fact did not hinder us; we found a way to meet this demand, pulling together and engineering the part.

Times were hectic. With most of our employees working from home, our warehouse workers had to work tirelessly to handle the mass volume of parts required for this project. Numerous adjustments had to be made to quickly source significant quantities of products that we typically didn’t stock in inventory.

All eyes were locked on Ford. The heat was on ISM to produce and deliver these parts on time or risk nearly 1,000 factory workers unable to do their jobs. ISM’s vendors and partners prioritized these parts and, to save time, shipped them directly to Ford. As a result, maintaining clear communication around delivery dates and times was a huge obstacle to overcome. The team communicated with Ford daily about the parts needed to keep their production lines open.

Boxes of ventilator parts packed
and getting ready to ship

Crossing the Finish Line - 50,000 Ventilators ShippedBy the end of July, Ford had produced about 40,000 ventilators with another 10,000 to go. With more than $1.8 million worth of product than initially had been expected, everyone was feeling the heat as the anticipated contractual obligations from FEMA were at hand.

The dust eventually settled in September as we made our last shipment. And due to our exceptional relationship and the monumental trust generated with Ford, we shipped literally thousands and thousands of different parts, both plastic and metal fittings along with valves, all on time and properly packaged without any quality or delivery issues. The project was a complete success. And a deep sense of pride and relief waved over the team.

In a time of fear and uncertainty, the ISM team pulled together and did what seemed impossible. Our country, our people, counted on us, and we knew that we could not let them down in this time of need.

Together we stepped up, and, as one of our partners at Ford mentioned in a ‘thank you’ email, we used our “unique skills to quickly scale production and deliver much-needed medical supplies and equipment in significant numbers. Giving back is the heart and soul of Ford Motor Company.” This is also the heart and soul of ISM.

Written by Jessica Thomas

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