Ford is investing $1 billion, adding jobs at Chicago factories as it makes cuts overseas. They are investing about $1 billion in assembly and stamping plants in Chicago. The automaker is expanding production of the new Ford Explorer, Lincon Aviator, and Police Interceptor. Read more
A V8-Powered, Manual, Lifted, Jeep-Slaying 2020 Ford Truck! Read more
In the United States, American-made products are highly regarded, with good reason, as they obviously boost the local economy as opposed to foreign-made products. However, are all the domestic-brand vehicles really assembled with components sourced from the United States? That’s what the Kogod School of Business figured out. Read more
Ford Motor Co. will announce investments in three of its Michigan manufacturing plants Tuesday morning, according to three sources familiar with the automaker’s plans. Read more
General Motors today announced that it will invest an additional $1 billion in U.S. manufacturing operations. These investments follow $2.9 billion announced in 2016 and more than $21 billion GM has invested in its U.S. operations since 2009. Read more
Two old names are getting a new lease on life. Ford Motor said Tuesday morning it would return the once wildly popular Bronco SUV to its line-up, along with a new version of the Ranger pickup truck. Read more
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV will invest $1 billion toward making three new Jeep models in the U.S., plus a Ram heavy-duty pickup now built in Mexico, as President-elect Donald Trump pressures the auto industry to hire workers and produce vehicles above the border. Read more
Ford Motor announced Tuesday that it would cancel plans for a $1.6 billion Mexico plant and launch a Michigan expansion in a move that may be viewed as a capitulation to Donald Trump. Read more
In the United States, American-made products are highly regarded, with good reason, as they obviously boost the local economy as opposed to foreign-made products. However, are all the domestic-brand vehicles really assembled with components sourced from the United States? That’s what the Kogod School of Business figured out about American-made vehicles. Read more
Everyone’s favorite big-spending automotive floor-mat manufacturer, WeatherTech
A PEEK under the hood of three new cars from Volvo, Buick and Cadillac will not reveal a Made in China label. But those cars are breaking new ground in the auto industry, becoming the first to be manufactured in the People’s Republic and exported to the United States. Read more
Two congressional Democrats on Monday blamed Ford Motor Co.’s exit from Japan on the lack of currency manipulation provisions in a sweeping Asia-Pacific trade deal. Read more
When one is presented with change, many begin to feel a sense of insecurity. When a company decides to invoke change, that precise sensation can be overwhelming for its employees. This apprehension rippled through ACE Metal Crafts (ACE) when its executives partnered with Toyota to enhance the company’s lead time and production methods. Read more
When Toyota came to Kentucky 30 years ago, it changed the way business was done in the Commonwealth. Read more
Ford’s heavy duty pickup trucks which used to be built in Mexico started rolling off an assembly line in Ohio this week.
In 2013, General Motors polled some U.S. Buick dealers about their volume and model-mix expectations for a new vehicle: a compact crossover that has since been launched in China as the Buick Envision.
The UAW said Tuesday it plans to address during contract negotiations the speculation that General Motors Co. is considering importing a Buick SUV to the U.S. from China. Read more
The Ford Taurus, once the flagship in Ford’s range, apparently has fallen on hard times. Read more
Ford Motor Co. announced, Wednesday, Aug. 12, that Ford F-650/F-750 medium-duty trucks will for the first time roll off the line in the United States, at the company’s Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake. Read more
While I am no fan of the Chinese owning Volvo, I am proud of “my” home state showing that manufacturing can be accomplished in America. Thanks for pushing forward and leading the charge to bring manufacturing back to America.
– James Kidd, Fan of The Made in America Movement
SOURCE: Yahoo Finance
Ford said it will move production of the Focus and C-Max small cars from its Michigan Assembly Plant in 2018, with union officials saying they were told the work will leave the U.S.. Read more
WeatherTech
Ford Adding 850 New Jobs To Build 2015 F-150. Ford announced today it will add 850 new jobs in Dearborn to build the all-new 2015 F-150 pickup that is the automaker’s most advanced pickup in 66 years.
The new hires will be sprinkled among the various facilities that make up the Ford Rouge Center in Dearborn. About 500 of the jobs will be at the Dearborn Truck Plant that assembles the pickup with three crews rotating over two shifts each day. Nearly 300 workers are for Dearborn Stamping and more than 50 will work at Dearborn Diversified, which also does stamping.
Total employment at the Rouge complex will be more than 5,500 with the latest hires and almost 5,000 will be hourly workers.
Ford is not taking new applications. The automaker has identified the new hires from its large pile of applications, and some have already begun training. All will be clocking in over the next couple months.
“This is one of the proudest moments I have had in my life,” said Jimmy Settles, head of the Ford department of the UAW, and a third-generation Rouge complex worker.
The $2 billion spent to revitalize the Rouge complex that consists of five plants makes it possible to do things never before done in the auto industry, said Bruce Hettle, vice president of North America manufacturing, at an event this morning announcing the additional employees.
- About 500 of the jobs will be at the Dearborn Truck Plant that assembles the pickup on three shifts. Nearly 300 workers are for Dearborn Stamping and more than 50 will work at Dearborn Diversified which also does stamping.
The Dearborn Truck Plant just finished gutting and rebuilding its body shop to make the 2015 model with an aluminum body instead of the steel bodies used since 1948. Pre-production models are running through the body shop now and are scheduled to run down the full line starting Oct. 20, but that date might be moved up to this week.
The carefully orchestrated launch is on track, said Joe Hinrichs, Ford president of the Americas. Production vehicles will start “in a matter of weeks,” but Hinrichs would not say when Job One will be. Trucks will start arriving in showrooms by the end of the year.
Ford Adding 850 New Jobs To Build 2015 F-150
The plant runs with three crews but more workers are needed because this next-generation pickup has more features and technology. And building a body from aluminum instead of steel requires all new processes — such as adhesives instead of welding — as well as new manufacturing equipment.
Additionally, some of the stamping work has been brought to the complex, work that had been done by suppliers or other Ford facilities, said Bernie Ricke, president of UAW Local 600, who is pleased with the additional jobs.
Ford has pledged to quickly get production up to full speed because of the sheer volume and importance of the truck. Ford sold 763,400 F-Series last year and analyst Adam Jonas of Morgan Stanley estimates Ford’s trucks generate more than 90% of the automaker’s global auto profits.
Ford built up its inventory of outgoing 2014 models to bridge the gap until there are enough 2015 models to satisfy dealers. That will take a while because just as Dearborn Truck hits its production stride, the Kansas City plant in Claycomo, Mo., will go down for six weeks in the first quarter of 2015 to rebuild its body shop to switch to the new truck.
Jonas has written a number of reports expressing concern about the impact of the changeover on Ford’s profitability, but Hinrichs said today the launch is going according to plan, processes are being validated and people are being trained. In the end, Wall Street will be won over by the vehicle itself, he said of the truck that sheds 700 pounds, which will improve its fuel economy.
As part of the national contract negotiated with the UAW in 2011, Ford pledged to create 12,000 hourly jobs in the U.S. by 2015. The automaker has already exceeded that commitment: Last month’s announcement of a second shift of 1,200 workers at the Kansas City plant to make the Transit commercial van brought the total to more than 14,000. More than 3,000 have been added in 2014. Factoring in salaried workers as well, Ford has hired more than 23,000 employees since 2011.
The signs of health are not going unnoticed by the UAW, which has a new contract to negotiate next year.
“It’s always nicer negotiating with a company making lots of money than a company in distress,” Ricke said. Priorities for a new contract in 2015 include economic gains, looking after retirees and continued investment in jobs, he said.
“Ford’s announcement is more positive news for the citizens of Michigan and a further sign of the comeback of Michigan, manufacturing and the auto industry,” said Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder in a release.
Ford will have added almost 5,000 jobs in southeastern Michigan since 2011 including:
■ 850 at Ford Rouge Center including the Dearborn Truck Plant
■ 1,800 at Michigan Assembly Plant
■ 1,700 at Flat Rock Assembly Plant
■ 250 at Rawsonville Plant
■ 240 at Van Dyke Transmission Plant
■ 150 at Livonia Transmission Plant
Jobs are slowly making their way back into the U.S.A. Do you see this happening in your area? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
At a time when flag-waving couldn’t be more in fashion, David MacNeil knows a thing or two about standing up for American products. Or at least resting your muddy boots on them. While creating jobs in the process.
The incentive helped seal a deal with Toyota to move nearly all production of the Lexus ES luxury vehicle to Kentucky. Read more
