Posted on 12/13/2013 8:10:00 AM PST by robowombat
Get today's manufacturing headlines and news - Sign up now! DEARBORN, Michigan (AP) -- Ford Motor Co. says it will hire more than 11,000 people in the U.S. and Asia next year to support an aggressive rollout of new vehicles.
Joe Hinrichs, Ford's president of the Americas, said the company plans to hire 5,000 workers in the U.S. — including 3,300 white-collar staff like engineers — and 6,000 workers in Asia. Many of those hires will work at two new plants that are opening in China.
This will be the most people Ford has hired in one year since 2000, the company said.
Hinrichs said 2014 will be the busiest product year in Ford's 111-year history, with 23 new vehicles being introduced around the world. Of those, 16 will be sold in the U.S., including a new Mustang sports car, Transit Connect van and Lincoln MKC small utility.
Ford has had some quality problems with vehicles launched in the last two years. The new Lincoln MKZ sedan was delayed in the spring to fix some quality issues, and Ford recently recalled its Escape SUV for the seventh time, this time to fix oil and fuel leaks.
Hinrichs said Ford has spent the last year improving its processes so those issues won't mar vehicle launches in 2014.
Hinrichs made the announcement at an event to introduce a new Ford research vehicle that's testing driverless technology. The car — a souped-up Fusion hybrid sedan — has four sensors, developed by the University of Michigan, that can track moving objects by the light reflected from them. It uses that data to make three-dimensional maps and tell the car if an object is in the way.
Raj Nair, head of global product development for Ford, said the car is unique because it integrates the sensor data with advanced features that are already offered today, including a collision warning system and blind-spot detection. Some other driverless cars being tested don't have those features, he said.
I’ll bet 90% will be in Asia.
Cars that most Americans haven’t enough money to buy. So they go further in debt.
I don't think Ford has a realistic picture of the state of the average American's finances or the trendline for the future of those finances as the rest of ObamaCare rolls out.
Sounds like they are planning to do the high-level stuff here and the nuts and bolts stuff in Asia.
In other words, if you’re currently flipping burgers at Mickey D’s, don’t get your hopes up about this.
When I was younger, guys lusted after Corvettes. Now that unattainable dream vehicle for me is a new F-150.
Agreed. Most cars today (a point A to point B conveyance) cost more than my first house. Unbelievable.
You have to adjust for inflation. What year did you buy your house and how much was it?
Wow. That is like really cool.
I have a 2009 Focus that I like a lot. An F150 Might just be my next purchase. It’s nice to buy American. And they are damned good vehicles.
A loaded 2014 Shelby GT500 is around $65K.
My dream is to have a car less than 5 years old.
I’ll go 10.
My stable is 2004, 2003 and 2008. At least I am in the same decade.
Cars do last longer I’ve started buying used you can find vehicles that are like new. I’m talking about 5 years old and older. If you buy a 3 year old certified pre owned, even better.
I’m driving a luxury suv for 18k seems almost new costs 50k new.
I buy used. I’m driving a $40,000 car I paid $12,000 for. It’s fine. I’ll ever buy GM or Chrysler new o used ever again.
It takes 11,000 union workers to make 11 cars? No wonder the imports are beatin’ the crap out of ‘em. lol
“I’ll never buy GM or Chrysler new o used ever again.”
Before obama got his slimey claws on the domestic auto industry I had purchased 5 gm or gmc vehicles in a row and liked ‘em for the most part. Turned in my gmc pickup in 2009 for a Toyota and I never looked back.
My stable:
1958 MGA
2001 BMW Z3
2007 Mazda 3 Hatchback (Daughter)
2014 Ford Focus - To replace the 2013 that was destroyed by a northern Minnesota white tail. (Son)
I suspect all of these new models are in part to meet the new Obama cafe standards.
They started with replacing the V-8s with “special” V-6 engines. Everything is going to be smaller, lighter, with more gizmos, and requiring tight still tolerances.
I’m almost sorry I got rid of my ‘65 Chrysler 300 hardtop coupe. I’ll make sure we don’t lose the ‘94 Chevy Caprice station wagon.
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