Ford shifting 550 jobs to boost SUV production in Kentucky

March 19, 2019 – Ford Motor Co. said Tuesday it will shift 550 jobs to its Kentucky Truck Plant to boost production of its Expedition and Lincoln Navigator to meet growing demand for its large SUVs.

Growing sales for the Expedition and Navigator are driving a 20 per cent production boost at the Louisville plant, the automaker says.

To boost the truck plant’s workforce, Ford says it will shift the jobs away from its crosstown factory – Louisville Assembly Plant, which makes the Ford Escape and Lincoln MKC.

Growing demand for large SUVs is fueling the employment boost at the truck plant.

“Kentucky Truck Plant is home to two of Ford and Lincoln’s most successful vehicles,” says John Savona, Ford vice-president, North American manufacturing. “After seeing a continued increase in customer demand for Expedition and Navigator, we are boosting production for a second time to meet it.”

Retail sales of the Expedition eight-passenger SUV surged 35 per cent last year, Ford says. Navigator sales grew 70 per cent in 2018, posting the vehicle’s best sales year since 2007, it says.

The truck plant’s production will increase after the summer shutdown in July, Ford says.

To produce even more Expeditions and Navigators, Ford says it has increased the line speed at Kentucky Truck Plant. After a production review by a group of salaried and hourly workers, the plant added more workstations and split up some tasks, the company says.

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Ford also says it’s launching a new “Better Big” marketing campaign for the Expedition.

Ford’s announcement that it’s boosting production of its large SUVs is the latest signal of the auto industry’s shift to SUVs and trucks.

The last compact car recently rolled off the line at a massive General Motors assembly line in Ohio, part of a major restructuring in which the automaker plans to shed as many as 14,000 workers and shift its focus to making trucks, SUVs and electric and autonomous vehicles.

Toyota announced last week that its Georgetown, Kentucky, facility will get a $238 million investment to produce hybrid versions of Lexus ES 300 sedans starting in May and the RAV4 SUV starting in January 2020.

News from © The Canadian Press Enterprises 2019