Ford considers adding 10,000 jobs, building Fusion in U.S., report says

[Project-Fairmont]

Now thats a novel idea; build an American brand car in the USA to compete against the Jap transplants...I reckon this alone will move it up a few notches.

 

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110928/OEM01/110929895/1424

[Deanh]

Now thats a novel idea; build an American brand car in the USA to compete against the Jap transplants...I reckon this alone will move it up a few notches.

 

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110928/OEM01/110929895/1424

where for art thou Pioneer?

[twintornados]

There is a lot of capacity at Flat Rock..... :shades:

[GTwannabe]

Now thats a novel idea; build an American brand car in the USA to compete against the Jap transplants...I reckon this alone will move it up a few notches.

 

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110928/OEM01/110929895/1424

 

Yeah, but you don't see the Jap transplants setting up shop in union-friendly states. As long as Ford is stuck with the UAW, they will never be competitive on labor costs. Well, at least until they replace all the line workers with robots.

 

I don't suppose the Hermosillo or Cuautitlán plants could handle global Ranger production, could they?

[mackinaw]

In related news, "More than 400 hourly workers at Ford Motor Co.'s Dearborn Truck plant have signed a letter pledging to reject a UAW accord that fails to include a wage increase, more money for retiree health care and an end to lower entry-level compensation.

 

Ford auto worker Gary Walkowicz, a UAW committeeman at Dearborn Truck, said the letter sends a message to union and company negotiators that the UAW pact with General Motors is not adequate at Ford."

 

This is a direct quote from an article in this afternoon's "Automotive News."

[ausrutherford]

Yeah, but you don't see the Jap transplants setting up shop in union-friendly states. As long as Ford is stuck with the UAW, they will never be competitive on labor costs. Well, at least until they replace all the line workers with robots.

 

I don't suppose the Hermosillo or Cuautitlán plants could handle global Ranger production, could they?

 

They can't push all Fusion production out. I don't think Hermosillo is flex either. Cuautitlan is flex though, but the question is there will be space for it.

[wildosvt]

Plenty of capacity at AAI. I think most of us figured this would happen.

[jpd80]

Not surprising considering Ford already builds the Focus in the US so the numbers must be right, I can see a lot merit in the plan

because hiring 4,000 to 10,000 new workers at lower wages would lower the average cost of all plant workers in the US without

affecting the pay rates of any of its existing UAW workers - something that would really balance out this contract perfectly

 

Fingers crossed that both sides get a great deal out of this.....

 

If Fusion moves to the USA, what becomes of Hermosillo, build a different product there or sell it off to someone like Mazda?

[wildosvt]

Not surprising considering Ford already builds the Focus in the US so the numbers must be right, I can see a lot merit in the plan

because hiring 4,000 to 10,000 new workers at lower wages would lower the average cost of all plant workers in the US without

affecting the pay rates of any of its existing UAW workers - something that would really balance out this contract perfectly

 

Fingers crossed that both sides get a great deal out of this.....

 

If Fusion moves to the USA, what becomes of Hermosillo, build a different product there or sell it off to someone like Mazda?

 

 

Let Mazda have it! Give it to them. Exchange Flat Rock for Hermo.

 

[timmm55]

Now thats a novel idea; build an American brand car in the USA to compete against the Jap transplants...I reckon this alone will move it up a few notches.

 

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110928/OEM01/110929895/1424

 

A great idea ;-)

Buy USA, made in the USA.

[jpd80]

Let Mazda have it! Give it to them. Exchange Flat Rock for Hermo.

 

 

That could work because the supplier park is set up for CD3 based components but would Mazda fill that capacity?

who cares goes the response but labor costs would suit them and perhaps build the 3 and 6 there together?

 

It's all about profitability and getting production costs right, today's Ford is strong and lean and able to get the product it wants to market.

 

 

More friendly pressure courtesy of Autonews:

 

UAW says GM workers ratify labor contract by 2-to-1 margin

The UAW has ratified a four-year labor agreement with General Motors by a 2-to-1 margin -- marking another milestone in the automaker's post-bankruptcy restructuring. The union, in a statement, said the vote was 65 percent in favor of the agreement among production workers.

Edited September 28, 2011 by jpd80

[ausrutherford]

Not surprising considering Ford already builds the Focus in the US so the numbers must be right, I can see a lot merit in the plan

because hiring 4,000 to 10,000 new workers at lower wages would lower the average cost of all plant workers in the US without

affecting the pay rates of any of its existing UAW workers - something that would really balance out this contract perfectly

 

Fingers crossed that both sides get a great deal out of this.....

 

If Fusion moves to the USA, what becomes of Hermosillo, build a different product there or sell it off to someone like Mazda?

 

The need Hermo for the extra Fusion production. Simple fact is...one plant can not satisfy Fusion demand in the Americas(both).

[NickF1011]

In related news, "More than 400 hourly workers at Ford Motor Co.'s Dearborn Truck plant have signed a letter pledging to reject a UAW accord that fails to include a wage increase, more money for retiree health care and an end to lower entry-level compensation.

 

Ford auto worker Gary Walkowicz, a UAW committeeman at Dearborn Truck, said the letter sends a message to union and company negotiators that the UAW pact with General Motors is not adequate at Ford."

 

This is a direct quote from an article in this afternoon's "Automotive News."

 

Most of the UAW people who post here seem to think Walkowicz is a stooge. And well, if he's only got around 400 signatures at a plant that has 3000+ employees, I don't think there's a whole lot going on here. More pot-stirring by the media, nothing more.

[jpd80]

The need Hermo for the extra Fusion production. Simple fact is...one plant can not satisfy Fusion demand in the Americas(both).

Highly possible as over 320,000 vehicles were made there last year and only 220,000 of them went to the USA. So after US and Canada's

production is taken out, Latin America is about 60,000 to 70,000 tops but still plenty to justify production and increased demand

 

 

Yes, two plants would probably give a better spread of products for both regions...

[Biker16]

they are not talking about AAI, they are talking about KCAP. The Timing for the Fusion is all wrong for AAI. I bet They will wind down KCAP car in Q4 2011 and reopen KCAP in the 3Q of 2012.

 

Either way there will end up being 2 fusion plants when they are done. but AAI will not launch the next fusion KCAP will.

 

HAP will add products that can be sold in south America as well a north America.

 

I believe the Transit connect, Fusion, additional C-car based vehicles possible the C-max7, and focus could be sourced there for export to south and north America, HAP has a Flex body shop, but the final/trim line needs to be updated to One Ford standards.

 

AAI can be an important Factory for ford, but it needs to be taken down and refurbished to become an ALL ford plant. I suspect Ford will place the GRWD car in AAI in the 2014 -2015 time frame. ford will continue the mustang there until they take the plant down, and then relaunch the mustang and other Lincoln models.

 

 

ford is likely committing a 3rd shift to MAP, along with Tier II hiring to build sub-assemblies at the Idled Wayne assembly plant next door. adding 1400-2000 workers there.

[mnm]

I agree with biker on the fusion going to kcap. The original rumor was the new full size transit was going to go to kcap. But I think now they will be putting the transit into ohap. I think these plans may have been in place for some time, but "helped along" as a result of the contract negotiations with the uaw. OR, I could be 100% wrong haha.

[aneekr]

"Ford has shown a tendency in recent years of being innovative at the bargaining table," Shaiken said. "If there's one thing that's going to be dramatic, it's job creation."

What about shareholder value creation? Will that be dramatic as well?

[GTwannabe]

They can't push all Fusion production out. I don't think Hermosillo is flex either. Cuautitlan is flex though, but the question is there will be space for it.

 

Move Fiesta production from Cuautitlan to Hermosillo and make Cuautitlan exclusively truck?

[ausrutherford]

Move Fiesta production from Cuautitlan to Hermosillo and make Cuautitlan exclusively truck?

 

They aren't going to do that. They didn't want to make trucks anymore at Cuautitlan anymore as it was. They aren't going to make it trucks now.

[ausrutherford]

they are not talking about AAI, they are talking about KCAP. The Timing for the Fusion is all wrong for AAI. I bet They will wind down KCAP car in Q4 2011 and reopen KCAP in the 3Q of 2012.

 

Either way there will end up being 2 fusion plants when they are done. but AAI will not launch the next fusion KCAP will.

 

HAP will add products that can be sold in south America as well a north America.

 

I believe the Transit connect, Fusion, additional C-car based vehicles possible the C-max7, and focus could be sourced there for export to south and north America, HAP has a Flex body shop, but the final/trim line needs to be updated to One Ford standards.

 

AAI can be an important Factory for ford, but it needs to be taken down and refurbished to become an ALL ford plant. I suspect Ford will place the GRWD car in AAI in the 2014 -2015 time frame. ford will continue the mustang there until they take the plant down, and then relaunch the mustang and other Lincoln models.

 

 

ford is likely committing a 3rd shift to MAP, along with Tier II hiring to build sub-assemblies at the Idled Wayne assembly plant next door. adding 1400-2000 workers there.

 

Focus does not need to be made in Mexico. Focus already has production in Argentina for SA. What Ford needs to do is build a cheap compact, not for US, but only for Latin America to fight against the VW Clasico in Mexico.

[wildosvt]

they are not talking about AAI, they are talking about KCAP. The Timing for the Fusion is all wrong for AAI. I bet They will wind down KCAP car in Q4 2011 and reopen KCAP in the 3Q of 2012.

 

Either way there will end up being 2 fusion plants when they are done. but AAI will not launch the next fusion KCAP will.

 

HAP will add products that can be sold in south America as well a north America.

 

I believe the Transit connect, Fusion, additional C-car based vehicles possible the C-max7, and focus could be sourced there for export to south and north America, HAP has a Flex body shop, but the final/trim line needs to be updated to One Ford standards.

 

AAI can be an important Factory for ford, but it needs to be taken down and refurbished to become an ALL ford plant. I suspect Ford will place the GRWD car in AAI in the 2014 -2015 time frame. ford will continue the mustang there until they take the plant down, and then relaunch the mustang and other Lincoln models.

 

 

ford is likely committing a 3rd shift to MAP, along with Tier II hiring to build sub-assemblies at the Idled Wayne assembly plant next door. adding 1400-2000 workers there.

 

 

KCAP SUV side is producing into Q1 2012 from what I heard the other day. We shall see when its announced. AAI is pretty much run like a Ford plant now from people I know that work there.

[Biker16]

KCAP SUV side is producing into Q1 2012 from what I heard the other day. We shall see when its announced. AAI is pretty much run like a Ford plant now from people I know that work there.

 

If it is AAI WTF are they going to begin building at KCAP in the Summer of 2012?

 

the sequencing and layout of AAI mkae it complex to REtool in such a short peroid of time, while maintaining Mustang production and while the 6 is still being produced.

 

FORD HAS COMMITTED A PRODUCT TO KCAP ALREADY.

[Biker16]

Focus does not need to be made in Mexico. Focus already has production in Argentina for SA. What Ford needs to do is build a cheap compact, not for US, but only for Latin America to fight against the VW Clasico in Mexico.

 

because it may not be enough for the continent, or we may want to export to other parts of the world.

 

in addition has ford even committed to build the Mk3 in Argentina/.

[Bob Rosadini]

Most of the UAW people who post here seem to think Walkowicz is a stooge. And well, if he's only got around 400 signatures at a plant that has 3000+ employees, I don't think there's a whole lot going on here. More pot-stirring by the media, nothing more.

Hope you are right about that- what is so tough for them to understand? The two tier deal is the best thing senior people have working for them. The guy on the outside is happy to have the job and the senior employee retains his position on the seniority list. I guess the guy who thinks Samuel Gompers is still alive is going to "fight for his underpaid brother" but anyone with a clue should see the benefit for new hires and senior people that a two tier system provides.

[Bob Rosadini]

They aren't going to do that. They didn't want to make trucks anymore at Cuautitlan anymore as it was. They aren't going to make it trucks now.

Well you just blew a thought I had out of the water. Remember Cautillan built the "new" 650/750 from 2000 to 2004 when Bluediamond was created. Bluediamond's days have to be numbered. I'm sure there is no warm feeling between Ford and Navistar and Navistar's Jim Hebe has declared war in medium duty trucks-plus Navistar is trying to cut Ford's grass in class 4 and 5.

 

Ford has to do something quick-other than folding their tent-