Ford makes major expansion investment in Thailand

[68fastback]

As VP Biden once said: "This is a big _______ deal!" (-lol-)

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FORD ANNOUNCES US$450 MILLION INVESTMENT FOR NEW FLEXIBLE PASSENGER VEHICLE PLANT IN THAILAND


http://media.ford.com/images/10031/RayongPlantThailand.jpg

Ford Thailand's new state of the art passenger vehicle production facility in Rayong, Thailand

Ford Motor Company will build a new state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Rayong, Thailand, scheduled for completion in 2012
The US$450 million (THB 15 billion) investment is another key action to support Ford’s aggressive expansion strategy in the Asia Pacific and Africa region
The new, highly flexible facility will be capable of producing a diversified range of products in the future, and will begin manufacturing the next-generation Ford Focus in 2012 for domestic and export markets
Ford plans to purchase up to US$800 million (THB 26 billion) worth of local components annually through Thailand's local supplier network
The new facility has the potential to support up to 11,000 new jobs – including up to 2,200 direct jobs with Ford, and 8,800 indirect jobs through its supplier and dealer networks
More... (http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=32842)

[Cobra Drifter]

So its a big sweat shop? :look:

[68fastback]

lol - Wallymart RS500 GT? ;-)

...in the US the union 'concerns' won't permit tightly-coupled plants with on-floor vendor production feeding Ford assembly in-line on the same floorspace (as is done in the hightly advanced Ford plant in Brazil). Dunno know if this highly flexible Thai plant will also be a tightly integrated architecture but I'd suspect so ...haven't see Ford release any specifics yet.