Ford adds 1,200 jobs in Kansas City to ramp up Transit production

(September 25, 2014) DEARBORN, Mich. — Ford has announced it is adding 1,200 jobs and a second shift at Kansas City Assembly Plant to build the all-new Ford Transit.

“The job growth we have created in U.S. manufacturing is a testament to our strong partnership with the UAW, the union’s competitiveness, and the growing demand for Ford’s portfolio of cars, utilities and trucks,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford president, The Americas.

“Adding a second shift to Kansas City Assembly Plant adds more jobs to this community, and it also helps deliver more Transit vehicles to more customers throughout North America.”

The 1,200 new jobs are in addition to the 2,800 jobs added at Kansas City Assembly Plant in 2012 and 2013 to support the 2015 Transit launch and increased production of Ford F-150. Since the 2011 UAW-Ford contract negotiations, Ford has added jobs across its other U.S. manufacturing plants as well, for a total of 14,000 jobs. Facilities where Ford added jobs include:

    3,600 at Louisville Assembly Plant
    1,800 at Michigan Assembly Plant
    1,700 at Flat Rock Assembly Plant
    1,600 at Chicago Assembly Plant
    600 at Kentucky Truck Plant
    450 at Cleveland Engine Plant
    240 at Van Dyke Transmission Plant
    230 at Chicago Stamping Plant

In addition to Transit, Kansas City Assembly Plant produces F-150 Regular Cab, SuperCab and SuperCrew pickups. The plant will employ more than 6,000 hourly workers by the end of 2014, on a two-shift pattern for Transit production and three-crew pattern for F-150.

Ford invested $1.1 billion in 2011 to retool and expand the facility for Transit production and to support surging customer demand for F-150. Expansion projects include the addition of a 437,000-square-foot stamping facility and a 78,000-square-foot paint shop.

The investment also supports production of the all-new Ford F-150 in early 2015, after the truck launches at Dearborn Truck Plant later this year.

In the United States, Transit replaces America’s best-selling van for 35 years, Ford E-Series, first sold in 1961 as Ford Econoline. E-Series vans and wagons still will be sold side-by-side with Transit until late 2014, providing a seamless transition for Ford customers. E-Series cutaway and stripped chassis will continue to be built and sold through most of the rest of the decade.

Transit recently posted its first large fleet order with Charter Communications, the fourth-largest cable operator in the United States. The company ordered more than 800 low-roof, regular-wheelbase Transit vans to be used by its technicians across 29 states. After extensive review of available full-size vans, Charter selected Ford Transit for its superior fuel economy, cargo space and upfitting convenience.

“Transit has it all — better fuel economy and more capability than E-Series, and a best-in-class range of configurations,” said Hinrichs. “This vehicle is a game changer.”

When equipped with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine, Transit returns up to 46 percent better gas mileage than Ford E-Series with the 6.8-liter V10 premium gas engine, along with more payload. Transit with the standard 3.7-liter V6 has up to 19 percent better gas mileage than E-Series equipped with its standard 4.6-liter V8 engine.

Transit was introduced in Europe in 1965, and has been the best-selling commercial van in the United Kingdom for 49 years. It is sold in 118 markets on six continents.

The high-roof Transit — with best-in-class maximum interior cargo height of 81.5 inches — provides enough headroom for a person 6 feet 4 inches tall to stand upright in the cargo area.

Transit offers as much as 487 cubic feet of cargo volume and 4,650 pounds of maximum payload capacity – more than competing vans from General Motors and Chrysler. Transit delivers a maximum towing capacity of 7,500 pounds.

Transit can be configured to offer as much as 75 percent more cargo volume than the largest E-Series, helping customers save money and time associated with having to make a second delivery. Maximum payload increases at least 600 pounds across the lineup versus comparable E-Series vans.

Transit is available in van, wagon, chassis cab and cutaway body styles; in three body lengths and two wheelbases for van and wagon, along with three roof heights. In addition to the standard 3.7-liter V6, a 3.5-liter EcoBoost and 3.2-liter Power Stroke diesel are available.