Ford announced it will add 200,000 units of annual straight-time capacity this year after last year’s increase of 400,000 units. Furthermore, the U.S. automaker said it will shorten its summer shutdown from the traditional two weeks to one week for most of its North American assembly plants, which will help increase production by another 40,000 units.
“To meet surging customer demand for our top-selling cars, utilities and trucks, we are continuing to run our North American facilities at full manned capacity, and we will add 200,000 units of annual straight-time capacity this year,” said Jim Tetreault, vice president of North America Manufacturing. “Approximately 75 percent of our plants are running at a three-crew, three-shift or four-crew pattern in order to ensure we’re getting more of our products into dealerships,” he added.
The 200,000 annual straight-time capacity increase this year will come from Chicago Assembly Plant, Flat Rock Assembly Plant and Kansas City Assembly Plant. The models that will make up the growth are some of Ford’s best-selling vehicles including the Ford Explorer, Ford Fusion and Ford F-Series. The Blue Oval says the increased production at Kansas City Assembly Plant with the addition of a third crew, which Ford announced in early May, is included in the 200,000 increase.
Furthermore, 20 factories, including six assembly plants, will take a reduced summer shutdown this year. The assembly plants affected by this decision are Chicago Assembly, Cuautitlán Assembly, Hermosillo Stamping and Assembly, Kentucky Truck, Michigan Assembly and Oakville Assembly. Ford also announced it will add nearly 3,500 hourly jobs in 2012, adding to the already announced 1,400 jobs at Flat Rock assembly plant and 2,000 jobs at Kansas City Assembly Plant.
By Dan Mihalascu
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