Ford Motor Company plans to add 350 new jobs and invest $80 million in its Kentucky Truck Plant to meet growing demand for Ford F-Series Super Duty trucks.
The $80 million will pay for facility upgrades, retooling and increased capacity to meet market demand. The investment and new employment opportunities are estimated to result in a 15 percent increase in production capacity, or approximately 55,000 units.
“Customer demand for F-Series Super Duty trucks is growing substantially, and F-Series overall is America’s best-selling truck for 37 years running,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford president of The Americas. “Building on more than 100 years of manufacturing in Kentucky, we are proud to expand our profitable growth in the region as a result of our leadership in trucks and SUVs.”
Kentucky Truck Plant produces F-250, F-350, F-450 and F-550 Super Duty pickups, as well as Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator. With the production increase in 2014, the plant will build the 5-millionth Ford F-Series Super Duty. The truck was introduced in 1999.
“We are happy to be adding new jobs at Kentucky Truck Plant, because we know the impact these jobs will have on the local community,” said Jimmy Settles, UAW vice president, National Ford Department. “It’s especially rewarding to know these jobs come as a result of customer demand.”
Ford began manufacturing vehicles in Kentucky in 1913 with 11 employees. Kentucky Truck Plant, which opened in 1969, covers 6 million square feet and employs close to 4,000 people.
Celebrating its 65th anniversary last year, Ford F-Series topped 750,000 sales in 2013, with more than 70,000 trucks sold in December after eight straight months of sales above 60,000 vehicles. On average, a single F-Series pickup was sold every 41 seconds in 2013.