All change at Ford UK engine plants

Dave Parker, who has been preparing for production of the next generation, low-CO2 2-litre diesel engine to be produced at Ford’s Dagenham Engine Plant and designed and engineered at Ford's Technical Centre in Dunton, Essex, has retired as plant manager.

 Parker retires after almost 36 years with Ford Motor Company. He joined Ford in 1977 and has worked at Ford’s Dagenham Engine Plant for almost a decade and has overseen a number of changes.

Parker’s replacement is Martin Everitt, who was assistant plant manager at Dagenham prior to his appointment as Ford Bridgend plant manager in 2012.  Everitt joined Ford as a graduate recruit in 1989 and has since worked in powertrain operations, including roles in Dearborn, Michigan and Cologne, Germany.  His responsibilities have included engineering the production facilities for the award-winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine.

Everitt will be replaced at Ford’s Bridgend Engine Plant by Ian Pearson, having recently been plant manager at Ford’s Craiova Engine Plant in Romania.  Pearson joined Ford in 1977 as an apprentice toolmaker and has held a variety of senior manufacturing positions including roles in Valencia and Dagenham.

Combined production from Ford Bridgend and Ford Dagenham in 2013 exceeded 1.5 million engines and over a 30-year period the two plants have produced 33 million engines.  Significant new investments have been announced at both facilities, including the new, next-generation diesel engine at Dagenham and a new, fuel-efficient high-tech EcoBoost petrol engine at Bridgend.                                                     ∎