March 22, 2020 

The Providence Journal

By Donita Naylor

SMITHFIELD — President Trump announced at a Sunday evening news conference that Honeywell, which has a plant in Rhode Island, will produce millions of “high end” face masks for “response workers” in the global war against coronavirus.

Executives for the tech company based in North Carolina had announced Saturday that it would hire an estimated 500 workers for the Smithfield plant, which would work around the clock to produce millions of N95 face masks. The Smithfield plant has been making protective eyewear.

“We are honored,” said Darius Adamczyk, Honeywell chairman and chief executive officer, in a news release. “Our Rhode Island facility already produces industry-leading safety gear and soon will play a critical role in supplying the Strategic National Stockpile with N95 masks.”

Honeywell will begin recruiting, hiring and training workers for the new production line immediately, the news release said.