SHEBOYGAN, Wis. -- J.L. French Automotive Castings announced that it has been awarded significant pieces of business by Ford Motor Co.
Most recently, J.L. French was awarded the new Ford six-speed, front-wheel-drive transmission case and related converter housing. The products will be mated to Ford’s new inline 4 cylinder engines. The transmission will be used in vehicles like the Escape, Fusion, Edge and Explorer.
Production of these parts will begin at J.L. French’s Sheboygan, Wis., operations in June and is projected to ramp to 700,000 units per year by 2013. The transmission represents approximately 30 percent of all transmissions to be produced at Ford.
Two related converter housings also will be produced at the Sheboygan plant, using three 1,600-ton die cast machines and one transmission case that will be produced at the plant using four 3,500-ton die cast machines. The company said the transmission case will be semi-finish machined at another facility using highly automated flexible CNC’s that will be purchased for this program.
In addition to the Ford six-speed front wheel drive program, J.L. French was recently awarded three other rear wheel drive transmission cases that are being cast at the Sheboygan plant on three 3,500 ton die cast machines. The rear wheel drive transmission cases will be used in vehicles such as Mustang and F-150. The rear wheel drive transmission case production started in September 2010 and will ramp to full volume by 3rd quarter 2011.
Tom Musgrave, chairman, president and CEO of J.L. French, stated, “Winning these programs is a testament to our manufacturing capability, our focus on quality and the dedication of our people. These programs are strategically important to J.L. French as we reposition the company into becoming a world-class medium to large aluminum die cast and machining supplier.”
To support this new business J.L. French will be investing more than $18 million in capital into its Sheboygan facilities.
“These programs support over 100 J.L. French jobs when they get to full volume,” said Tim Kellner, vice president of human resources.
