Ford shifting all U.S. small-car production to Mexico

[Angel Martin]

Source: Detroit Free Press

CEO Mark Fields told investors the move is part of plans to make production simpler and less expensive.

Ford is shifting all North American small-car production from the U.S. to Mexico, CEO Mark Fields told investors today in Dearborn.

"Over the next two to three years, we will have migrated all of our small-car production to Mexico and out of the United States," Fields said.
...
Fields statement today isn't exactly a surprise either. Ford said in April it would invest $1.6 billion to build a new plant in Mexico and create 2,800 jobs so it can build small cars there. Ford also said in 2015 that it planned to move production of its Ford Focus and C-Max hybrids cars from a plant in Wayne, to another country by 2018.

Ford's decision to build a new plant in Mexico has made it a target for Donald Trump during the presidential election.

"These ridiculous, job-crushing transactions will not happen when I am president," Trump said in a statement issued by his campaign in April.

Read more: http://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/ford/2016/09/14/mexico-ford-shiftng-us-car-production-mexico/90355146/

---

More bad news for Michigan and the Midwest.

[Sherman A1]

1. Charming

Simply Charming.......

[Xipe Totec]

2. If people can't move to where the jobs are, jobs will move to where the people are

That would be one of the unintended consequences of putting up a wall.

[snooper2]

3. My friend has his focus being made in Germany right now...

Of course, it is the new RS

[LoisB]

4. My 2008 and 2014 Ford Focus cars were both "assembled" in Michigan. Parts from

who knows where?

[madokie]

9. when we bought our 2014 focus

I looked up how much of it was made in America. 72 percent was USA, some Canada, seats and interior, with the wiring in Mexico. The rest was USA all the way

[Angel Martin]

7. new RS... nice !

in the past they have not sold that model in Canada.

[titaniumsalute]

5. Oh fuck you Trump

They will move jobs out of the US and there ain't shit you are going to do or that you'll even be able to do as President.

[Ken226]

6. I can kinda understand the former presidents reasoning but I'm a little torn.

On one hand, president Clinton was doing the right thing with NAFTA. Free trade and America's policies that keep Americans making a living wage definitely help move jobs to places were they're more needed.

That greedy manufacturers would move overseas to skirt the taxes and labor laws here was obvious. Passing those laws was a move to help those in most need.

On the other hand, and I admit it may be a bit racist, but i sympathize with Americans who lost thier jobs. But, very likely the people that ended up with those jobs needed them more anyway.

[unc70]

22. Our opinions of NAFTA differ greatly

I have some trouble following your logic and figuring out what side you are on. It sometimes takes a while to learn the rhythm of DU.

[Populist_Prole]

30. What!!??

NAFTA was ballyhooed to raise US exports, and turned into a race to the bottom...Class warfare on the US working class posing as geoplotical socio-economic engineering...which you are apparently OK with.

Unbelievable. What a jerkoff. Joined Sept 16th. Hmmmmm. Goddamn troll.

Made this my final post on DU. Was worth it.

[Wellstone ruled]

8. This has been in the works for over a year.

Remember,the Ford Family is not going to piss off their employees again. The two effected plants will be retooled for new product one being a mid sized Pick-up truck which will boost sales and the other is to produce a new Model in 2018.

Remember,Ford just cut their expansion in Britain by fifty percent. And that had to do with Brexit. BTW,this whole deal was worked out with the UAW.

[byronius]

11. Thanks for the facts. I don't want to abandon Ford. My Ranger's a great vehicle.

[Wellstone ruled]

14. Planning on purchasing a new Ranger next fall.

Hated to see the demise of the Ranger plant in St Paul. Local Politics caused that one to go. Bunch of dumb shit Rethugs and their we don't want that kind of people in our Neighborhood.

[Yo_Mama]

10. My current car is a Focus because I wanted to buy American. Next time I won't

be looking at buying a Ford.

Frankly, there are other foreign-brand small cars that I would be better off buying - and some are made here.

[Kathy M]

12. Further down in the original article posted Ford states the bellow

"Ford has said it continues to invest heavily in its U.S. plants and isn't cutting jobs here. Last fall, the automaker Ford made a commitment in November to invest $9 billion in U.S. plants and create or retains more than 8,500 jobs as part of a new four-year contract with the UAW. Of that, $4.8 billion goes to 11 facilities in Michigan "

"The future of smaller cars in the U.S. may depend on the ability to electrify their powertrains and introduce them to ride-sharing fleets where they can generate revenue from fares paid by multiple riders.

Along those lines, Fields and other Ford executives Wednesday outlined an aggressive plan to invest $4.5 billion over the next four years in new battery-powered models in such segments as commercial vehicles, trucks, SUVs and performance vehicles.

Ford also reiterated its commitment to developing an autonomous vehicle by 2021 for use in a ride-hailing service. The company believes that autonomous vehicles could account for up to 20% of vehicle sales by 2030.

Does Trump even know when and who proposed NAFTA before he speaks ?

"Reagan himself was a dreamer, capable of imagining a world without trade barriers. In announcing his presidential candidacy in Nov. 1979, he had proposed a “North American accord” in which commerce & people would move freely across the borders of Canada & Mexico. This idea, largely overlooked or dismissed as a campaign gimmick in the US, rankled nationalist sensibilities in the neighboring nations. But Reagan was serious in his proposal. Though he traveled only once outside the North American continent during his first 57 years, he was neither insular nor isolationist. California has windows to the world in Asia, and Reagan thought of the US as a Pacific power as well as an Atlantic one. He also had a Californian’s consciousness of Mexico and an actor’s appreciation of Canadians, who are well-represented in the film community. The dream of a North American accord would drive the successful pursuit of a US-Canadian free trade agreement and a future-oriented “framework” trade agreement with Mexico

"One of the greatest contributions the US can make to the world is to promote freedom as the key to economic growth. A creative, competitive America is the answer to a changing world, not trade wars that would close doors, create greater barriers, and destroy millions of jobs. We should always remember: Protectionism is destructionism. America's jobs, America's growth, America's future depend on trade--trade that is free, open, and fair."
http://www.ontheissues.org/Celeb/Ronald_Reagan_Free_Trade.htm

[cstanleytech]

13. The feds clearly made a mistake bailing them out. nt

[EX500rider]

15. I don't think Ford was bailed out....?

[Kathy M]

16. No and Yes they received some money

"Although Ford did not need money from the $80 billion bailout program, Ford did receive $5.9 billion in government loans in 2009 to retool its manufacturing plants to produce more fuel-efficient cars, and the company lobbied for and benefited from the cash-for-clunkers program — contrary to the ad’s testimonial that Ford is “standing on their own.”

http://www.factcheck.org/2011/09/ford-motor-co-does-u-turn-on-bailouts/

[BumRushDaShow]

18. They weren't

the other 2 (Chryslar & GM) were via restructuring. However Ford's credit arm did get federal loans of money to allow them to keep offering credit for car buyers.

[Plucketeer]

19. Ford wasn't a recipient of the "bail-out".

That said, how many Mexican companies are building production facilities here? Wife and I would like to buy "American" and we ARE in need of a new vehicle. Thing is, our '08 Hyundai has served us really well. Besides that. roughly 50K Americans gave their lives to stave off the communists in South Korea. Since Ford has no real allegiance to the U.S., why should we?

[awoke_in_2003]

20. They weren't

Chrysler and GM took bailout money, Ford did not. Also, they are not closing the US plant where these cars are currently made, they are retooling the plants for different vehicle production.

[bucolic_frolic]

17. So Trump will have the power to force companies to produce at a loss here at home?

Sounds more like a dictatorship as time moves along

[Kablooie]

21. It you want to buy American, get Honda or Toyota cars.

The Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey and Honda Pilot are the most American cars you can buy today.


https://www.cars.com/articles/the-2016-carscom-american-made-index-1420684865874/

[beaglelover]

27. Fuck that. There are plenty of GM cars still made in the USA. Chevy's, Cadillac's, etc.

[Xithras]

32. My wife's GM car was built in Korea.

So no guarantees there either.

[Taitertots]

23. Ford will never open another new factory in the U.S.

At least as long as we accept anti-American trade agreements under the guise of "free trade". I've seen the cost comparison and it will never justify building a new plant.

Sunk costs and pollution abatement are the only reason they keep the existing plants in America.

[Lokilooney]

24. Ugh

Well, I'm sure the TPP will work out much better than NAFTA did...

[eilen]

25. Looks like I'm staying with Chevy

My Sonic was built here (Michigan, actually) by union members.

[beaglelover]

26. Great! Fuck you Ford. Glad I drive a Cadillac made in Michigan!

[Snellius]

28. Rats fleeing a sinking ship?

Just in case TheRump gets elected and builds a wall to make Mexico disappear.

[moondust]

29. Why not Flint?

[Skittles]

31. Trump has a history of fucking the workers

people who believe his nonsense are FUCKING STUPID

[GummyBearz]

35. Trump owns Ford? Didn't know that

[tawadi]

33. They already have quality control issues

Just wait until this happens.

[Judi Lynn]

34. Mainstream media are reporting that the Ford Focus and C-Max will leave Michigan Assembly in Wayne f

Ford Moving Small Car Production to Mexico is a Political Red Herring
It’s Likely the Only Way to Make Money Building the Focus
By: Todd Lassa September 16, 2016

Ford Motor Company CEO Mark Fields probably couldn’t hold back on confirming the worst kept secret in Metro Detroit/Dearborn. The company’s small car production will leave the Michigan Assembly Plant for Mexico in 2018. Ford pretty much confirmed this last April when it announced a $1.6-billion investment in a new assembly plant south of the border, although it didn’t say at the time which cars would be built there. Fields’ announcement Wednesday coincides with the Election Year’s high season, traditionally after Labor Day, though the Trump v. Clinton presidential race really never took a late-summer break after the GOP and Democratic conventions.


Fields could have waited until November 9, but, what the heck? GOP nominee Donald J. Trump has been talking about Ford jobs moving to Mexico since he was ruling the primaries, and Trump and Hilary Clinton are trying to convince voters they’re more anti-trade agreement than each other, anyway.

Mainstream media are reporting that the Ford Focus and C-Max will leave Michigan Assembly in Wayne for San Luis Potosi state, but that’s only partially true. The Ford Focus will move there in time for a major 2019 model year update. Ford is expected to drop the C-Max hybrid/plug-in hybrid after the ’19 model year, which the company could build out before it retools Michigan Assembly. At some point, it will be replaced with a battery-electric powered Chevrolet Bolt competitor, a car I first reported on back in March 2015. It looks like the new San Luis Potosi plant will build just the Ford Focus, at first.

Michigan Assembly is not closing. If there’s any change in employment levels there, Ford should be adding shifts and workers. Part of that worst kept secret, a part that Ford has yet to confirm, is that the all-new Ford Ranger midsize pickup truck will be built there. To take educated guessing further, there’s speculation that the 2021 Ford Bronco will join the Ranger two years later.

More:
http://www.automobilemag.com/news/ford-moving-small-car-production-mexico-political-red-herring/