PR Newswire
Nov 12, 1999
DEARBORN, Mich., Nov. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F)
will produce a new global inline engine family for 2001 model-year
and beyond
passenger cars and light trucks at its engine plants in Dearborn, Chihuahua
(Mexico) and Valencia (Spain), and Mazda Motor Corporation will produce
the
engines at its plant in Hiroshima.
"This all-new engine family has been under development jointly by Ford
and
Mazda and is another example of how we are leveraging our strategic
relationship
by combining our global product and engineering strengths," said Roman
Krygier,
vice president - Ford Powertrain Operations. "The result of this strengthened
Ford-Mazda synergy is a dynamic, consumer focused and
environmentally-responsible product line."
Designed to address worldwide consumer expectations, the new engine
family
delivers spirited performance while providing class-leading quality
and value. With
its lightweight construction, state-of-the-art technological versatility
and flexible
fuel capability, it also will help Ford meet its worldwide environmental
pledge.
Depending on consumer demand, expected annual production globally is
projected to be two million units -- roughly 25 percent of Ford's annual
engine
production -- by 2004.
"The plan developed by Powertrain's manufacturing team ensured that
all of the
major stakeholders -- consumers, the environment, shareholders and
our
employees -- came out a winner," Krygier said.
The Chihuahua Engine Plant employs 940 hourly and 190 salaried employees.
The 1,102,000-square-foot engine manufacturing site includes a new
377,000-
square-foot addition, with an investment value of roughly $365 million,
to
accommodate the new production. Initial production is scheduled for
the Third
Quarter of 2000, and annual production is expected to be 430,000 units.
The
plant currently builds the 2.0-liter 4-cylinder Zetec engines for the
Ford Contour
and ZX2, Mercury Cougar and Mystique.
The Dearborn Engine & Fuel Tank Plant, which manufactures the 2.0-liter
4-cylinder inline engine, employs 1,100 hourly and 130 salaried personnel.
The
plant covers 2.2 million square feet and is located in the historic
Rouge industrial
complex. Ford is investing approximately $400 million to upgrade the
facility for
this program. Production of the new inline engines is expected to begin
in the
Third Quarter of 2000. The capacity is projected to be 350,000 units
annually.
The introduction of the new inline engine family is being combined with
a
restructuring of Ford's European manufacturing facilities to optimize
capacity
utilization and minimize the need for further fixed cost investment.
European
production of the new inline engines will take place at Ford's Valencia
Engine
Plant, with capacity for 700,000 units per year. Ford intends to invest
around a
quarter of a billion dollars in the facility, which has roughly 1,600
hourly and 125
salaried employees. Production of four-cylinder Zetec-SE engines --
currently
divided between Valencia and the company's Bridgend Engine Plant in
Wales --
is being consolidated at Bridgend. Within the new European configuration,
Cologne Engine Plant in Germany has been designated the sole global
source
for the 4.0-liter V6 OHC/SOHC engine that goes into the Ford Explorer,
the
world's leading sports utility vehicle.
Mazda Motor Corporation will produce an increment of approximately 425,000
inline engines annually on a new line located in its engine plant in
Hiroshima,
Japan. Production is expected to begin in the fall of 2001. The Hiroshima
plant
currently builds gasoline, diesel and rotary engines for passenger
cars and
commercial vehicles.
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