Mexico City, Mexico – Amid a political race in which automotive investments south of the border have become a stump speech issue for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, Ford has announced plans to invest $1.6 billion to build a new small car plant in Mexico in San Luis Potosi State.
The automaker did not say which vehicles will be built there, but the leading candidate is the Focus compact car. During contract negotiations with the United Auto Workers last year, the company spelled out plans to convert the current Focus plant in Michigan into a truck plant, making future versions of the Ranger pickup.
At the time, company officials said new small car investments would go to Mexico. The new plant will create 2,800 additional direct jobs by 2020.
This investment comes during Ford’s 91st year in Mexico, including manufacturing vehicles since 1925. Ford and its 116 dealers this year also are celebrating 50 years of strong educational programs, including the construction and maintenance of nearly 200 rural schools throughout the country.
Mexico is Ford’s fourth largest vehicle manufacturing site for global customers – behind the U.S., China, and Germany. Vehicles produced in Mexico also serve customers in the U.S., Canada, China, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and South Korea.
The investment is part of the company’s One Ford global product and manufacturing plan. During the past five years, Ford has invested more than $10.2 billion in Ford facilities alone in the U.S. In addition, Ford has invested $2.7 billion in facilities and supplier tooling in Spain, $2.4 billion in Germany and – with the company’s partners – $4.8 billion in China. All of these investments are part of the company’s plan to serve global markets and deliver profitable growth.
Source: Ford Motor Co.