Ford is investing US$2.5
billion in new engine and transmission plants in the Mexican states of Chihuahua
and Guanajuato
About 3,800 direct jobs will be generated
through the three projects – a new engine plant in Chihuahua, expansion of
Ford’s I4 gasoline and diesel engine lines in Chihuahua and a new transmission
plant – Ford’s first in Mexico – in Guanajuato
The new engine facility is being built within
Ford’s Chihuahua Engine Plant, where the company will produce a new
gasoline-powered engine.
This $1.1 billion investment and 1,300 new
jobs will allow Ford to export engines to the US, Canada, South America and the
Asia-Pacific region, supporting the company’s growing small car line-up.
An additional $200 million dollar investment
as well as the creation of 500 more new jobs is tied to the expansion of Ford’s
current I4 and Diesel engines production in Chihuahua.
As a result of these investments, the Ford
Engine Plant in Chihuahua will become the biggest engine plant in Mexico.
In addition, Ford is building a new
transmission plant within the premises of transmission supplier and long-time
partner Getrag. The plant is based in the City of Irapuato in the State of
Guanajuato. This $1.2 billion investment brings approximately 2,000 new jobs.
This new plant – Ford’s first transmission
facility in Mexico – will produce two all-new automatic transmissions for key
products primarily in South America, Europe and Asia Pacific as well as other
North American markets.
“Today’s announcement is an important
milestone in Ford’s 90-year history in Mexico,” said Gabriel Lopez, Ford of
Mexico’s president and chief executive officer. “Currently within Ford, Mexico
is the fourth vehicle producer, the fourth largest engine producer and is the
second largest nation supplying Ford’s global manufacturing facilities. We look
forward to delivering even more great products, including new engines and now
transmissions, to serve Ford customers around the world.”
Ford has 11,300 employees in Mexico. The Ford
Fiesta, Fusion and Lincoln MKZ as well as the hybrid versions of both are
manufactured in Mexico. Ford also has an engineering centre in Mexico that
employs over 1,100 engineers who support global projects.
The investment is part of the company’s One
Ford plan, aimed at boosting the company’s global competitiveness. The news
coincides with Ford’s 90th year in Mexico.
Ford of Mexico began its operations in 1925
and has stamping and assembly plants in Hermosillo and Cuautitlan, as well as
Engine Plants I and II in Chihuahua. The company’s headquarters are in Mexico
City.
In Mexico, the car company manufactures Ford
Fiesta, Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ brands; these include hybrid versions of
the last two.
Manufacturing also incorporates machining and
assembly of Duratec I4 (2- and 2.5-litre) gasoline engines as well as the 6.7-litre
PowerStroke and 4.4-litre V8 diesel engines, both of which have compacted
graphite iron (CGI) cylinder blocks supplied by Tupy SA.
According to press reports in Mexico, this new
investment will yield new three- and four-cylinder engines with a plant capacity
of up to 700,000 engines a year and is expected to allow Ford’s Chihuahua
Engine Plant to produce up to one million engines a year.
Ford is reputed to produce 8 per cent of all
vehicles sold worldwide and is the fifth producer of vehicles in Mexico.
At present Mexico’s automotive industry
generates 2.8 per cent of the country’s GDP with Mexico rated as the fourth
largest exporter of light vehicles
“Ford is making a significant commitment to
our business in Mexico with investment in two new facilities, while aiming to
make our vehicles even more fuel-efficient with a new generation of engines and
transmissions our team in Mexico will build,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford’s
President of The Americas. “These new engines and transmissions will help
deliver even better driving experiences and fuel economy gains for customers
around the world.”
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