Ford pushing its plants toward flexible manufacturing

Ford Motor Company is attempting to convert 90 percent of its plants to "flexible manufacturing" sites by 2011, the Dow Jones Newswires reported, citing manufacturing chief David Sczupak.

Sczupak, who was speaking during the JP Morgan Harbour auto conference that was broadcast via the Internet, said that the auto maker will spend a sizeable share of its capital expenditures on converting its plants into more efficient and "flexible" operations. This would allow such facilities to build more than one type of vehicle.

According to Sczupak, approximately 70 percent of Ford's plants currently use flexible manufacturing. Ford has announced that it will close 14 North America assembly and parts plants by 2012, many of which are not defined as flexible sites.