DEARBORN, Mich. – Ford Motor Co. has announced it will invest nearly $200 million and add 450 new jobs at its Cleveland Engine Plant. The investment comes as a result of rising demand for the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine.
"This is our One Ford plan at its best – giving customers the power of choice to decide which fuel-efficient engine is best tailored to their needs," said Joe Hinrichs, Ford president of The Americas. "Cleveland Engine Plant was the first to produce EcoBoost engines and will continue to be a cornerstone of Ford’s strategy to deliver affordable fuel economy for millions."
The hiring builds on the creation of more than 8,100 salaried and hourly jobs in the U.S. last year, including 1,000 in-sourced hourly positions. Ford says it is now more than halfway to its goal of creating 12,000 hourly jobs in the U.S. by 2015 to support new products and investment. Additionally, the company announced last month it plans to hire 2,200 salaried workers in the U.S. in 2013 to fill jobs in such key areas as product development, manufacturing and IT.
Production of the 2.0-liter EcoBoost for North America is currently based in Valencia, Spain. The investment in Cleveland will shift North American production to Ohio, while Ford’s Valencia Engine Plant will remain the exclusive production location of the 2.0-liter EcoBoost for Ford of Europe-built vehicles. Valencia will continue to produce and ship parts for these engines to North America.
Overall employment at the Valencia plant will not be impacted. The Valencia Engine Plant will transfer some employees to Valencia Assembly Plant to support increased production for C-MAX, Kuga, Transit Connect and Tourneo Connect.
The 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine to be built in Cleveland is currently available in the Ford Explorer, Edge, all-new Escape and all-new Fusion, Focus ST, Taurus and new Lincoln MKZ and MKT Livery.
