Ford Motor Company said today it is investing $1.6 billion to upgrade two of its manufacturing facilities in Michigan and Ohio, creating or retaining 650 hourly jobs in the United States.
The announcement comes after Ford is embroiled in the Presidential campaign for exporting U.S. jobs with Donald Trump threatening to put a 37.5% tax on auto imports – specifically singling out Ford Motor.
The Dearborn-based automaker said earlier this month that it is investing in a new plant in Mexico’s San Luis Potosi State to produce more small cars. The $1.6 billion investment will create 2,800 additional direct jobs by 2020.
“We are proud that Ford employs more hourly workers and builds more vehicles in the United States than any other automaker,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford president, The Americas. “We are committed to manufacturing in the United States, as we have been for more than 100 years.”
Ford’s latest U.S. investment retains 500 hourly jobs in Michigan at Livonia Transmission Plant ($1.4B) to build a new 10-speed transmission to be first introduced in the all-new F-150 Raptor and certain F-150 models. The investment of $200 million will create or retain 150 hourly jobs at Ohio Assembly Plant, located in Avon Lake. It will be used to build Super Duty chassis cab.
Livonia Transmission Plant
Livonia Transmission Plant employs more than 1,550 people. It builds a six-speed transmission that is used in a number of products including Mustang, F-150, Transit and Expedition. Production begins in June for the new 10-speed transmission.
Ohio Assembly Plant
Ohio Assembly Plant employs more than 1,650 people. It began building F-350, F-450 and F-550 Super Duty chassis cab configurations earlier this year. The plant also produces Ford F-650 and F-750, which was in-sourced from Mexico last year, as well as Ford E-Series cutaway vans and stripped chassis.
