Ford to add more than 2,000 jobs in Kansas City

Thu, 02 May 2013

Continued high demand for the Ford F-150, along with the addition of the all-new Transit series of commercial vehicles, has led Ford to announce that it will add over 2,000 jobs at its Kansas City Assembly Plant. At the time of the announcement, the plant boasts 2,450 hourly employees working on two shifts. All told, Ford will invest $1.1 billion in the Kansas City plant to expand truck production and begin producing the Transit series.

According to the automaker, fullsize truck sales are up 19 percent through April of 2013, leading to an additional 900 workers and a third shift of production for the F-150. Production of the Transit series will begin in the fourth quarter of this year, requiring an additional 1,100 workers. In addition, Ford estimates that a total of 18,000 jobs will be created by suppliers to its Kansas City plant to support the additional vehicle production.

Want to know more? Scroll down for the complete press release.

Ford Adding 2,000-Plus Jobs at Kansas City Assembly Plant to Support Surging F-150 Demand, Transit Launch

Ford's Kansas City Assembly Plant will add more than 2,000 jobs to support high demand for F-150, plus the planned production of the all-new Transit family of commercial vehicles starting next summer; more than 1,000 will be new hires

Ford F-Series sales up 24 percent in April and 19 percent year to date; full-size truck segment growing three times faster than industry average and is fastest-growing segment this year

Ford has reached 75 percent of its goal to create 12,000 hourly jobs in the United States by 2015

KANSAS CITY, Mo., May 2, 2013 – Ford, the industry truck leader, will add more than 2,000 jobs at its Kansas City Assembly Plant to meet surging demand for the Ford F-150 and planned production of the all-new Ford Transit.

"The housing market is strengthening, we are seeing growth in the U.S. economy, and the truck segment is growing three times faster than the overall industry," said Joe Hinrichs, Ford president of The Americas. "Our Built Ford Tough F-150 is America's favorite pickup, and we are going to step up operations at Kansas City to ensure we have enough trucks to meet customer demand."

Ford is adding 900 jobs and a third crew in the third quarter to build F-150. U.S. sales of Ford F-Series trucks increased 24 percent in April and 19 percent year to date. Ford also is adding another 1,100 jobs starting in the fourth quarter to prepare for introduction of the all-new Ford Transit full-size van in 2014.

"For customers who want a modern van that is as tough and smart as the F-Series, the all-new Ford Transit van delivers – with better fuel economy, more capability, and the greatest number of technology choices and innovative configurations full-size van buyers have ever seen," Hinrichs said.

Kansas City Assembly

Kansas City Assembly Plant produces the Ford F-150 regular, SuperCab and SuperCrew and will produce the Ford Transit. The plant currently has 2,450 hourly employees working on two shifts and will add a third crew in the third quarter.

Ford is investing $1.1 billion to retool and expand the facility for production of both the F-150 and Transit, including a 437,000-square-foot stamping facility and a 78,000-square-foot paint shop.

The new stamping facility was completed in 2012. The paint shop expansion will include installation of the three-wet paint process, which is more environmentally friendly and requires less time than conventional paint processes – without compromise to Ford paint quality or durability.

"Today we celebrate the commitment to excellence displayed by the men and women of Kansas City Assembly Plant," said Jimmy Settles, UAW vice president and director of the National Ford Department. "These additional jobs are the direct result of the dedicated effort our UAW members display every day at facilities all across the country, and serve as another reminder of the resilience of American workers and our nation's manufacturing sector."

With the investment and new jobs at Kansas City, Ford is three-quarters of the way to delivering on its plan to create 12,000 hourly jobs in the United States by 2015. The company also is investing $16 billion in its U.S. product development and manufacturing operations – including $6.2 billion in plant-specific investments. These actions, including today's announcements, are consistent with Ford's previous 2013 financial guidance for the total company and North America.

Community impact

The plant expansion has a major impact in the local community and beyond. Kansas City Assembly Plant has more than 250 suppliers nationally and more than 10 suppliers locally that will benefit from the adding of a third crew. Additionally, when Transit production starts next year, close to 275 suppliers nationally and six suppliers locally will grow their businesses. According to the job multiplier effect of nine jobs to every one – more than 18,000 jobs will be created to support the plant.

"Today's announcement is yet another testament to our successful efforts to revitalize Missouri's automotive manufacturing industry, which continues to gain steam," said Missouri Governor Jay Nixon. "This third shift for production of the F-150 will create hundreds of additional manufacturing jobs for workers in this region and ensure Missouri continues to lead the rebirth of the American auto industry for years to come."

Ford F-150
The Built Ford Tough F-150, part of the F-Series lineup, delivers the segment's best combination of power, capability, safety and fuel economy.

Now in its 65th year, F-Series has been the best-selling truck in America for 36 consecutive years, the best-selling vehicle in America for 31 consecutive years, and the brand with the most trucks on the road with more than 250,000 miles on the odometer, as certified by Polk.

The Kansas City-built F-150 is the first choice for tradespeople who need the most durable, advanced truck on the market. For example, F-150 leads in a variety of fields, including:

68 percent share in hazardous materials work
67 percent share in the oil pipeline industry
62 percent market share in road and highway maintenance

F-150 also boasts leading safety ratings. Its fully boxed frame, made from high-strength hydroformed steel, provides a backbone built for increased durability and safety. F-150 has earned top safety ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Overall, F-150 offers customers the broadest lineup in the segment with 10 models, which include the work-ready XL, the sporty and capable FX, the well-balanced XLT, the refined and luxurious Limited and the no-compromise off-road SVT Raptor.

Ford F-150 also features an unrivaled four engine choices, including the advanced 3.5-liter EcoBoost®, to help customers find the most fuel-efficient and capable engine to meet their needs. Ford's patented EcoBoost engine delivers an unmatched combination of best-in-class towing and payload, torque and fuel economy. More than 300,000 EcoBoost engines have been sold for F-150; it is now Ford's best-selling truck engine.

Ford Transit

The familiar van that delivers packages or shuttles airport passengers is about to change in a revolutionary way. The all-new Ford Transit will provide tradespeople and businesses with unmatched fuel economy, innovative new configurations and leading versatility in the expanding commercial vehicle market.

Transit is born from nearly a century of hard-earned experience delivering two distinct full-size vans to customers in America, Europe and other global markets. For the United States, Transit eventually replaces E-Series, first sold in 1961 as Ford Econoline and America's best-selling commercial van for 34 years. Transit was first sold in 1965. It's the best-selling commercial van in Europe.

Customers will have more choices than ever from a Ford van. Transit will be offered in three body lengths, two wheelbases and three roof heights. Cargo volume ranges from about 250 to almost 500 cubic feet – more than twice the volume of today's standard E-Series, saving the customer fuel costs and the time and hassle of a second delivery trip.

Designed and developed to provide efficient service over the long haul, Ford Transit will be at least 25 percent more fuel-efficient than E-Series, helping save Transit owners thousands of dollars in fuel costs over its service life.

Transit has been tested to the Built Ford Tough truck standards at Ford's proving grounds and in the hands of real-world fleet customers in North America.

By Jeremy Korzeniewski