Ford To Invest $1.6B In Upgrades For Two US Plants

The automaker says the investment will create or retain a combined 650 jobs between its Michigan and Ohio plants.

On Tuesday, Ford Motor Co. announced a $1.6 billion investment in upgrades for both its Livonia Transmission and Ohio Assembly plants. The Michigan automaker says the investment will create or retain a combined 650 jobs between both plants.

Specifically, Ford will spend a larger chunk of change β€” a whopping $1.4 billion β€” at the Livonia Transmission Plant as it readies for the production of a new 10-speed transmission for the 2017 F-150 Raptor. The Livonia upgrade creates and retains 500 jobs of the 650 from Ford’s overall investment.

The remaining $200 million will go to Ford’s Ohio Assembly Plant where the Super Duty chassis cabs for the F-350, F-450 and F-550 are built.

β€œWe are proud that Ford employs more hourly workers and builds more vehicles in the United States than any other automaker,” said Ford Americas President Joe Hinrichs in a statement. β€œWe are committed to manufacturing in the United States, as we have been for more than 100 years.”

United Auto Workers Vice President Jimmy Settles said he was β€œthrilled” with Ford’s announcement and the automaker’s β€œgreat commitment to manufacturing quality products.”

In the past five years, Ford has invested $12 billion in its U.S. plants and created nearly 28,000 jobs. 

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