Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Ford Adding 2,000-Plus Jobs at Kansas City Assembly to Support Surging F-150 Demand, Ford Transit Launch
“Customer demand for today’s F-150 is strong and continues growing,
the truck segment is growing three times faster than the overall
industry, the housing market is strengthening, and we are seeing growth
in the U.S. economy,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford’s president of The
Americas. “Our ‘Built Ford Tough’ F-150 is America’s favorite pickup,
and we are going to expand operations in Kansas City to ensure we have
enough trucks to meet customer demand.”
Ford is adding 900 jobs and a third crew in the third quarter to
build F-150. U.S. sales of Ford’s F-Series trucks increased 24 percent
in April and 19 percent year to date. Ford also is adding another 1,100
jobs starting in the fourth quarter to prepare for the introduction of
the all-new Ford Transit full-size van in 2014.
“For customers who want a modern van that is as tough and smart as
the F-Series, the all-new Ford Transit van delivers, with better fuel
economy, more capability and the greatest number of technology choices
and innovative configurations full-size van buyers have ever seen,”
Hinrichs said.
Kansas City Assembly
Kansas City Assembly Plant produces the Ford F-150 Regular, Super
and Crew Cab and will produce the Ford Transit. The plant currently has
2,450 hourly workers working on two shifts and will add a third crew in
the third quarter.
Ford is investing $1.1 billion to retool and expand the facility
for production of both the F-150 and Transit, including a 437,000
sq.-ft. stamping facility and a 78,000 sq.-ft. paint shop.
The new stamping facility was completed in 2012. The paint shop
expansion will include installation of the three-wet paint process,
which is more environmentally friendly and requires less time than
conventional paint processes – without compromising Ford’s paint quality
or durability.
“Today we celebrate the commitment to excellence displayed every
day by the men and women of Kansas City Assembly Plant," said Jimmy
Settles, UAW vice president and director of the National Ford
Department. “These additional jobs are the direct result of the
dedicated effort our UAW members display every day at facilities all
across the country and serve as another reminder of the resilience of
American workers and our nation's manufacturing sector.”
With the investment and new jobs in Kansas City, Ford is
three-quarters of the way to its plan to create 12,000 hourly jobs in
the U.S. by 2015. The company also is investing $16 billion in its U.S.
product development and manufacturing operations – including $6.2
billion in plant-specific investments. These actions, including today's
announcements, are consistent with Ford’s previous 2013 financial
guidance for the Total Company and North America.
Community Impact
The plant expansion has a major impact in the local community and
beyond. Kansas City Assembly has more than 250 suppliers nationally and
more than 10 suppliers locally who will positively benefit from the
addition of a third crew. Additionally, when Transit production starts
next year, close to 275 suppliers nationally and six suppliers locally
will grow their business. According to the job multiplier effect of nine
jobs to every one – more than 18,000 jobs will be created to support
the plant.
“Today’s announcement is yet another testament to our successful
efforts to revitalize Missouri’s automotive manufacturing industry,
which continues to gain steam,” Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon said. “This
third crew for production of the F-150 will create hundreds of
additional manufacturing jobs for workers in this region and ensure
Missouri continues to lead the rebirth of the American auto industry for
years to come.”
Ford F-150
The “Built Ford Tough” F-150 delivers the segment’s best combination of power, capability, safety and fuel economy.
F-150 is part of the Ford F-Series lineup. Now in its 65th
year, F-Series has been the best-selling truck in America for 36
consecutive years, the best-selling vehicle in America for 31
consecutive years and the brand with the most trucks on the road with
more than 250,000 miles, as certified by Polk.
The Kansas City-built F-150 is the first choice for tradespeople
who need the most durable, advanced in the market truck. For example,
F-150 leads in a variety of fields, including:
- 62 percent market share in road and highway maintenance
- 68 percent share in hazardous materials work
- 67 percent share in the oil pipeline industry
F-150 also boasts leading safety ratings. F-150’s fully boxed
frame, made from high-strength hydroformed steel, provides a backbone
built for increased durability and safety. F-150 has earned top safety
ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Overall, F-150 offers customers the broadest lineup in the segment,
with 10 models that include work-ready XL, sporty and capable FX,
well-balanced XLT, refined and luxurious Limited and the no-compromise
off-road SVT Raptor.
The Ford F-150 also features an unrivaled four engine choices,
including the advanced 3.5-liter EcoBoost, to help customers find the
most fuel-efficient and capable engine to meet their needs. Ford’s
patented EcoBoost engine delivers an unmatched combination of
best-in-class towing and payload, torque and fuel economy. More than
300,000 EcoBoost engines have been sold for F-150 and it is now Ford’s
best-selling truck engine.
Ford Transit
The familiar van that delivers packages or shuttles airport
passengers is about to change in a revolutionary way. The all-new Ford
Transit will provide tradespeople and businesses with unmatched fuel
economy, innovative new configurations and leading versatility in the
expanding commercial vehicle market.
Transit is born from nearly a century of hard-earned experience
delivering two distinct full-size vans to customers in America, Europe
and other global markets. For the U.S., Transit eventually replaces
E-Series, first sold in 1961 as Ford Econoline and America’s
best-selling commercial van for 34 years. Transit was first sold in
1965. It’s the best-selling commercial van in Europe.
Customers will have more choices than ever from a Ford van. Transit
will be offered in three body lengths; two wheelbases; three roof
heights. Cargo volume ranges from about 250 to almost 500 cubic feet –
more than twice the volume of today’s standard E-Series, saving the
customer fuel costs and the time and hassle of a second trip.
Designed and developed to provide efficient service over the long
haul, Ford Transit will be at least 25 percent more fuel efficient than
today’s E-Series, helping save Transit owners thousands of dollars in
fuel costs during its service life.
Transit has been tested to the “Built Ford Tough” truck standards
at Ford’s proving grounds and in the hands of real-world fleet customers
in North America.
Courtesy of Ford
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Ford Fusion, C-MAX Hybrids Attracting New Companies Searching for Savings at the Fuel Pump
Con-way, Esurance, Quest Diagnostics and AT&T are among the
newest companies to purchase Ford hybrid vehicles for their national
fleets. Many of their regional employees drive more than 24,000 miles
annually.
“New commercial fleet customers are turning to Ford as they look
for fuel-efficient, durable vehicles that can withstand the daily use
and duty cycles of their businesses,” said Jon Coleman, Ford commercial
fleet sustainability and technology manager. “Ford’s Fusion Hybrid and
C-MAX Hybrid give them the tools they need to get the job done,
including leading EPA-estimated fuel economy, technology, great quality
and durability.”
Many companies are seeing the value in replacing gas fleets with
new offerings from Ford’s hybrid lineup, and the savings can be
significant – cutting total operational costs by as much as 45 percent.
At the same time, hybrid vehicles typically retain higher resale values
than their gas counterparts. Resale value is an important factor when
companies calculate total operating costs for their business fleets.
Ford has seen rising demand for fuel-efficient vehicles, especially
hybrids among fleet customers. These buyers are increasingly choosing
Ford’s Fusion Hybrid and C-MAX Hybrid – both introduced last fall – as
they look to further their sustainability efforts and reduce operating
costs in their national fleets.
Con-way, a transportation and logistics services company with
nearly 500 locations in North America, is adding just more than 1,000
Fusion Hybrids to its national fleet this year. The cars are deployed
with operations and sales personnel at the company’s Con-way Freight,
Con-way Truckload and Menlo Worldwide Logistics operating units.
Collectively, Con-way expects to save more than 1 million gallons of gas
annually while reducing carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 45
percent using Fusion Hybrid as its primary fleet car.
After an extensive selection process, San Francisco-based Esurance
chose 50 Fusion Hybrids for its national claims fleet to provide the
latest technology, while also saving fuel and reducing carbon emissions.
Esurance expects to save more than 69,000 gallons of gas over the next
few years, which translates to a savings of more than $255,000, at a
national average of $3.71 a gallon.
Commercial fleet customers continue to move toward more
environmentally responsible vehicles to support their sustainability
efforts, while providing the latest technology and safety features for
their drivers. Ford technology such as SmartGauge® with
EcoGuide provides valuable hybrid driving information, including the
amount of energy captured through regenerative braking, most efficient
trip suggestions for frequently traveled routes, and instant feedback on
a driver’s green score via leaves earned for each segment driven.
“Besides the obvious benefits of improved fuel efficiency and
reduced carbon emissions, the advanced technologies in Fusion Hybrid are
just as important,” said Mitch Plaat, Con-way vice president of
procurement. “Ford’s technology suite – which includes lane-departure
warning, adaptive cruise control, backup cameras, navigation system and
the SYNC® hands-free system – helps Con-way reduce accidents
and improve highway safety for employees, their families and other
motorists.
“The hybrids’ reduced carbon emissions also complement our
sustainability mission and contribute to our efforts to be a good
steward of the environment,” Plaat added.
Randy Mullett, Con-way vice president of government relations and
public affairs, selected the 2013 Fusion Hybrid for his company car.
Mullett is impressed by its fuel economy and advanced safety features.
“My Fusion’s advanced technology features, lower emissions, reduced fuel
consumption and superb styling all combine for a great car that is
inexpensive to operate and embodies the professional image we want to
present for our customers,” he says. “It serves as a tangible sign of
Con-way’s commitment to sustainability.”
Quest Diagnostics recently added 150 C-MAX Hybrids to support its
national logistics requirements. “As the leading diagnostic information
services company, we maintain a significant national logistics operation
for transporting millions of patient specimens each year for testing at
our clinical laboratories,” said Clete Lewis, director, environmental,
health and safety, Quest Diagnostics. “Given our scale, the type of
vehicles in our fleet can really make a difference to the environment
and our business costs.
“The environmentally conscious C-MAX Hybrid is much more fuel
efficient and produces less pollution than standard automobiles,” Lewis
added. “It is a smart addition to our fleet because it will promote
lower fuel costs while also helping us to empower better health in the
communities we serve.”
Ford now offers five electrified vehicles:
- C-MAX Hybrid: EPA-estimated rating of 47 mpg city, highway and combined – up to 7 mpg better than Toyota Prius v – plus 50 more horsepower and 12 class-exclusive technologies
- C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid: Best EPA-estimated combined miles per gallon equivalency of any plug-in hybrid, Ford’s first production plug-in hybrid vehicle has an EPA-estimated city rating of 108 MPGe and 21 miles of all-electric range – more than triple Prius plug-in’s six miles – and an EPA-estimated gas plus electric range of 620 miles. C-MAX Energi’s “real car” performance includes 195 horsepower (versus Prius plug-in at 134 horsepower), engaging driving dynamics and a quiet interior – all with a leading electric-only speed of 85 mph, more than 20 mph above the Prius
- Fusion Hybrid: EPA-estimated rating of 47 mpg city, highway and combined, up to 6 mpg better than the Toyota Camry Hybrid
- Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid: EPA-estimated gas plus electric range of 620 miles, electric-only range of up to 21 miles, and EPA-estimated rating of 108 MPGe city, 92 MPGe highway and 100 MPGe combined
- Focus Electric: One of America’s most fuel-efficient compact cars, with an EPA-estimated rating of 110 MPGe city, 99 MPGe highway and 105 MPGe combined
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Ford and Detroit-Based Luxury Goods Manufacturer Shinola Celebrate 50 Years of Mustang with a Limited-Edition Watch
Only 50 companies will be licensed to create products bearing the Mustang 50 Years logo,
which was designed to celebrate the sports car leading up to its 50th
birthday on April 17, 2014. Shinola is one of the first manufacturers to
help mark this milestone.
“Mustang is one of the greatest icons in American manufacturing
history,” said Jacques Panis, Shinola’s director of strategic
partnerships. “We reached out to Ford because we thought it makes
perfect sense, as we share the same passion for craftsmanship and
domestic manufacturing.”
Bedrock Manufacturing Company purchased the Shinola trademark, first used in 1929 on a wax-based shoe polish, in 2011.
A year ago Shinola moved into a 30,000-square-foot space in the
historic Argonaut building in Midtown Detroit. Handmade watches and
bicycles are now being crafted there. Shinola also offers other
American-made products, including an artisanal leather collection, and
journals created with paper from Michigan’s sustainable forests. In June
Shinola will open a retail space.
Shinola opened its online shop in March 2013 debuting a
limited-edition watch – the Runwell. It was an instant hit – much like
the Mustang, which exceeded expectations and was an immediate success in
1964, its first year of production. To date, Ford has produced and sold
more than 8.5 million Mustangs.
“Like the Mustang itself, we
want our licensed products to convey an attitude of strength, passion
and quality,” said John Nens, Ford lead for global brand licensing.
“Shinola embodies all of these things and is a perfect fit to celebrate
this special moment in automotive history.”
The 50-year commemorative wristwatch exemplifies Shinola’s passion
for quality products and uses the finest materials. The quartz timepiece
features Swiss movements, a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal face and
premium black leather for the band with a screw-down crown. Waterproof
to five atmospheres, the materials and design details are brought to
life by highly skilled craftspeople who bring a special expertise to
executing this premium watch.
The face of the watch features the unique Mustang 50 Years logo.
Courtesy of Ford
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
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