FORD INDIA CELEBRATES ANOTHER MILESTONE OF ITS ENGINE EXPORT PROGRAMME

Fiesta Engine exports to Thailand

Ford India today celebrated another milestone in its engine export programme with the first batch of 1.4L and 1.6L high compression petrol engines manufactured at Ford India’s Maraimalai Nagar engine facility being shipped to sister manufacturing plant, AutoAlliance Thailand (AAT). Ford has been exporting diesel power trains to South Africa since 2008.

“The first shipment of 1,000 petrol engines is a significant first step in our goal to become a major production and export hub of diesel and petrol engines,” said Michael Boneham, president and managing director, Ford India. “We are excited about the significant growth opportunities for our engine export programme, and proud of Ford India’s contributions to the further development of the local auto industry and economy overall.”

The number of engines exported will increase to 2,500 per month, and will continue to build as projected export demand gradually increases through the year-end and into 2011.

In addition to the AAT facility, Ford India will export engines to other Ford plants in Asia Pacific, including those already being sent to South Africa. Ford India is also currently discussing and reviewing export opportunities for vehicles and power train components to markets within Ford’s Asia Pacific and Africa region.

“The export expansion is another endorsement of the integrated ONE Ford vision that has driven the creation of global centres of excellence like our Chennai plant, to enhance efficiencies, consistency, skill sharing, cost competitiveness and new growth opportunities,” said Boneham.

“It also supports our ‘best of the best’ approach in which we benchmark ourselves against other facilities globally, as well as volume producers in India, for quality and production efficiency,” he added.

Part of Ford Motor Company’s US$500 million investment at the Maraimalai Nagar site, the recently opened engine plant is designed to meet the growing needs of the Indian vehicle market and export opportunities.

Covering more than 40,000 square metres, it is an advanced manufacturing centre that has been created with the global best practices for engine manufacturing and has the capacity to produce 250,000 engines per year.