Ford
has announced a £130m expenditure to it’s Solihull, UK plant. The money will
go towards a new car parts pressing plant as well as upgrading the assembly line
for the new ‘super’ Range Rover.
The company also said it
would commit a further £400m to £500m a year on product development
for Range Rover.
Ford’s plan is to have the
company into profit by 2002. Exports to the USA and to Japan will lead the profit
revival. As well as a new ‘super’ Range Rover, a new Freelander – with appeal
to the American market – is being developed alongside a new Defender.
Chief executive, Bob Dover,
said on his appointment earlier this year that Britain was not a good place
in which to build cars. He was referring to the weakness of the euro.
This announcement by Ford
leads to the conclusion that it will be cheaper to bring the Solihull plant
up to a higher standard rather than build a new plant – or use an existing Ford
plant – in Europe. It seems likely that Ford did not trouble the UK government
for a subsidy.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalData