Two steps forward for Ford, one step way back for two Ford plants
Mark Fields revealed last week during his
update speech detailing Ford’s progress with its “Way Forward Plan” that two Blue Oval plants will be
idled in 2008. The two plants affected include the Twin Cities Assembly Plant in St. Paul, MN and the Norfolk Assembly
Plant in Virginia. One word can sum up why these plants were chosen to be idled: inflexibility. Both were built in 1925 around the time dirt was invented. Though the Norfolk plant assembles the F-150, the best selling vehicle in history that’s on pace to sell a record 900,000 units for the third year in a row, Ford realized that flexible manufacturing at fewer plant sites could maintain its full-size truck production. The Twin Cities plant, however, was betrayed by its own product – the Ford Ranger and Mazda B-Series small pickups. Ranger sales are down 15.9 in the first quarter and the aged trucks haven't received a major redesign since 1992 (MY1993).
The idling (read: closing) will affect 4,318 hourly and salaried workers. Ford did say that it would reveal its plans surrounding a Ranger replacement closer to the time the Twin Cities plant goes dark in 2008.
Follow the jump for some additional stats and a history of production for each plant.
[Source: Ford]
[Photo: AP Photo/Janet Hostetter]
Plant Name: Norfolk Assembly Plant
City: Norfolk
State: VA - Virginia
Country: USA
EMPLOYMENT
Current Total Employment: 2,433
Hourly: 2,275
Salaried: 158
PRODUCTION HISTORY
Current Products: Ford F-150
Year Opened: 1925
Site Size in Acres: 102
Plant Size in Square Feet: 2,625,152
Product History: Model-T, full-size sedans, station wagons, F-150, F-250, F-350
Plant Name: Twin Cities Assembly Plant
City: St. Paul
State: MN - Minnesota
Country: USA
EMPLOYMENT
Current Total Employment: 1,885
Hourly: 1,750
Salaried: 135
PRODUCTION HISTORY
Current Products: Ford Ranger, Mazda B-Series
Year Opened: 1925
Site Size in Acres: 148
Plant Size in Square Feet: 2,144,932
Product History: F-Series Trucks, LTD, Galaxie, Country Squire Wagon, Country Sedan Station Wagon, Starliner, Del Rio, Fairlane 500, Sunliner, Crown Victoria, Crestliner, School Bus Chassis, Custom, Sportsman, Duluxe and Super Deluxe, Phaeton, Model A cars and AA Trucks, Model T cars and TT Trucks.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Rene Curry 10:22AM (4/16/2006)
I would guess that logistics have a lot to do with picking what to cut.
The I-75 corridor for the US and Texas south for Mexico seems like where all foreign & domestic automakers are going.
If Toyota hits the wall at some future date in time, watch the Fremont California plant get axed first.
Reply
JIm 11:01AM (4/16/2006)
I toured the Norfolk plant a number of years ago. At the time I was in the Navy and a Navy reservist I used to work with was also the plant manager. He noted that the Norfolk plant was the only Ford plant that built trucks for the overseas market. Many of these vehicles were specially equipped. E85 in Brazil for example.
In order to continue that export production, a location near a port would seem logical - unless Ford has moved that production overseas.
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nelson rose 2:28PM (4/17/2006)
Norfolk is Fords best plant in quality and getting production.Management bust be in a haze or either Mark Fields is trying to get Bill Fords job.Every one looses from the employees right down to the consumers who will have to buy a truck from the Dearborn Plant after Norfolk closes.
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jeff 3:04PM (4/18/2006)
I find it somewhat ironic that the TC plant is closing up for inflexibility when it has produced so many different products over the years.
"Product History: F-Series Trucks, LTD, Galaxie, Country Squire Wagon, Country Sedan Station Wagon, Starliner, Del Rio, Fairlane 500, Sunliner, Crown Victoria, Crestliner, School Bus Chassis, Custom, Sportsman, Duluxe and Super Deluxe, Phaeton, Model A cars and AA Trucks, Model T cars and TT Trucks."
Reply