Ford Motor Company's Saarlouis Plant in Germany and the Michigan Assembly Plant in the United States are preparing for the manufacturing launch of the next-generation Ford Focus.
Developed in Europe for sale in more than 120 markets worldwide with 80 percent parts commonality, the all-new Ford Focus is a key part of the One Ford plan to leverage the company's global assets. The Focus is built from Ford's new global C-segment platform, which will account for more than two million units of annual production by 2012.
From mid-November almost 500 people currently employed on agency contracts at the Ford Saarlouis Plant will be offered permanent Ford contracts ahead of the start of assembly of the new car on December 6, 2010.
The Saarlouis Plant – which celebrated its 40th anniversary this year – will be the single source for next-generation Ford Focus production in Western Europe, producing all three Focus bodystyles – four-door, five-door and wagon – while production at the Michigan Assembly Plant will concentrate on the four-door and five-door derivatives.
Manufacturing will be expanded further in mid-2011, when Ford's plant in St. Petersburg, Russia, begins building the new four-door and five-door models of the Focus. Production in the Asia Pacific region will begin in early 2012, when the Chongqing plant in China, comes on line.
With more than 6,500 employees and over euro 3 billion invested in the facility's ongoing development and continuous modernization, the Ford Saarlouis Plant is among the leading vehicle production sites in the European automotive industry.
A further 2,000 people are employed at the adjacent supplier park, making the entire industrial complex the German federal state of Saarland's largest employer. Around 25,000 additional jobs are also dependent on the plant's activities, with the regional economy benefitting by about euro 356 million per year.
Ford of Europe is responsible for producing, selling and servicing Ford brand vehicles in 51 individual markets and employs approximately 66,000 employees. Also in 2009, Ford was Europe's No.2 best-selling vehicle brand. In addition to Ford Motor Credit Company, Ford of Europe operations include Ford Customer Service Division and 22 manufacturing facilities, including joint ventures. The first Ford cars were shipped to Europe in 1903 - the same year Ford Motor Company was founded. European production started in 1911.
