Ford moving medium-duty F-Series production from Mexico to Ohio
Thu, 27 Feb 2014
A few more Ford trucks will be built in the US in the near future with news that production of the F-650 and F-750 medium-duty trucks will move from Mexico to Ford's Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake, OH. Ford hasn't confirmed a precise timeline for the move, but The Detroit News claims the Blue Oval will make the shift later this year or in early 2015.
As Ford spokesperson Mike Levine reminded us, back in 2011, Ford announced in an investor release that it would shift production "after the [Ohio] plant stops current production of the Ford E-Series vans." According to that release, the Ohio factory will also receive $128 million in upgrades to build the new trucks, plus the F53 motorhome chassis and F59 commercial chassis.
The trucks are currently built in Escobedo, Mexico, as part of a joint venture with Navistar International. The Kansas City Assembly Plant in Kansas City, MO will begin building the new Transit van. The shift is part of Ford's long-term plan to move more commercial vehicle production to the US because it, "will be able to streamline and strengthen the engineering and manufacturing of our next-generation medium-duty trucks," said then-Ford President Mark Fields in the 2011 release. According to The Detroit News, Ford will issue a more detailed release about the shift in production on February 28.
By Chris Bruce
See also: Lincoln recycling tree fibers into new MKX armrest, Ford celebrating 80 years of Aussie utes as it prepares to shutter Oz manufacturing, This 2,000-hp Mustang is in serious need of wheelie bars.