Production of new Ford Focus starts in Germany

The all-new Ford has started being produced at Ford's Saarlouis Assembly Plant in South-West Germany today. The new Focus will become the first global Ford compact car.

Part of the One Ford plan, the all-new Focus is a key to the strategy of leveraging the company’s global assets. Following its unprecedented global development program, the all-new Focus will have its production distributed by three different continents and be available to customers in more than 120 countries.

Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, the Saarlouis Assembly Plant in the Saarland region of Germany will be responsible for the whole production of the all-new Focus in Western Europe. This plant will produce all three body styles, with the high-performance ST model programmed to be added to production in early 2012.

In North America, early production of the four-door and five-door models of the Ford Focus is already underway at Ford's Michigan Assembly Plant.

Russia will also participate on the production of the new Ford Focus. In mid-2011 Ford’s plant in St. Petersburg, will start building both four-door and five-door derivatives of the all-new model.

As for the Asia Pacific region, Ford will have plants producing the new Focus in 2012 in Chongqing, China and Rayong, Thailand.

"This is an important day for Ford, the Saarland and for Germany," said Ken Macfarlane, vice-president of Manufacturing, Ford of Europe. "Saarlouis is proud to have been the lead plant for Ford Focus production in Europe since the first model was launched in 1998. Throughout that time, its skilled and dedicated workforce has worked hard to ensure that the plant is recognized throughout the industry for its manufacturing efficiency and quality."

The Saarlouis Assembly Plant employs more than 6,500 people and already counts with investments of €3 billion in its’ ongoing development and continuous modernization. Amongst the leading vehicle production sites in the European automotive industry, the plant is able to produce up to 1,850 vehicles a day in three shifts. Currently it is responsible for the production of both Ford Focus and Ford Kuga model lines.

In order to produce the new Focus, the Saarlouis plant was upgraded with a €300 million investment programme, with quality and flexibility being enhanced. The investment included €100 million for new robotized body construction facilities, €75 million for new tooling, and €18 million for new high-quality, low-emissions paint shop technology.