Ford is investing $350 million in its Livonia Transmission Plant, adding a new transmission to expand its lineup of fuel-efficient powertrains as part of the company’s plan to fortify its core automotive business.
The company will create or retain 800 hourly jobs to support production of the new transmission. Ford expects to begin adding jobs late this year, with the majority coming next year and in 2019.
“We remain committed to American manufacturing and investing in our people and facilities,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford president, The Americas. “Even as the industry’s largest employer of hourly workers in the United States and biggest producer of American-made vehicles, we believe it is important to continue investing right here in our home market.”
In the past four months alone, Ford has announced more than $2.25 billion in new investments in Michigan. The company has invested $12 billion in its U.S. plants and created a total of nearly 28,000 U.S. jobs during the last five years.
This investment in Livonia Transmission Plant is in addition to $1.4 billion and 500 created or retained hourly jobs announced for the plant in 2016 to support production of a new 10-speed transmission for the 2017 F-150 Raptor and certain other F-150 trucks.
Ford’s investments are supported by a strong partnership with the UAW, as well as with federal, state, county and local governments.
“Today’s announcement of investment at the Livonia Transmission Plant is further evidence of the benefits of collective bargaining and the ongoing commitment of UAW-Ford to lead the way in creating and maintaining automotive manufacturing jobs in America,” said Jimmy Settles, UAW vice president. “The addition of these 800 jobs will add job security for the plant’s hardworking men and women, and support for the surrounding community.”
Transmission innovation
The investment supports production of a new, advanced transmission for front-wheel-drive vehicles. This transmission will provide customers better-performing, more fuel-efficient vehicles. It will share software, design elements and manufacturing processes with the 10-speed and other future transmissions.
The transmission will be finely tuned to blend fun driving and efficiency with Ford engines, including EcoBoost®. Most applications will use a common microprocessor with more than 4 million lines of code controlling both engine and transmission.
Ford continues leading the industry in combining downsized EcoBoost engine technologies with advanced transmissions and lightweighting innovations. For example, the F-150’s V6 lineup matched to the truck’s aluminum body now accounts for more than 75 percent of its sales. Ford’s 1.0-liter EcoBoost has held the title of World’s Best Engine for five years running.
Livonia Transmission Plant
Livonia Transmission Plant employs approximately 1,800 people. It builds six-speed and 10-speed transmissions used in a number of vehicles including Mustang, F-150, Transit and Expedition.
