Ford creates 300+ jobs in production of cleaner, low carbon vehicles at Dagenham
Fri 24 October 2014
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Ford is to create 318 new jobs at its Dagenham plant following an additional investment of £190 million to produce its new range of cleaner, advanced technology diesel engines. The announcement is the second phase of investment in Ford’s new engine programme, following an initial £287 million announced in September.
Commenting on the announcement, the Prime Minister David Cameron said (via BBC news link): “I welcome Ford’s commitment to Dagenham and the UK, which is a vote of confidence in our long-term economic plan to back business, create more jobs and secure a brighter future for Britain."
The two-phase £475 million investment includes £28.9 million funding from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund.
The new engines will produce lower NOX emissions, surpassing Euro-6 air quality requirements. The engines have been designed and developed at Ford Dagenham and at the Ford Dunton Technical Centre in Essex.
This latest diesel engine programme at Ford Dagenham is part of a £1.5 billion investment by Ford in low carbon and environmentally friendly engine and vehicle technology over five years.
The first engines, which will be installed in Ford commercial vehicles from 2016, will come off the line at the end of next year and production capacity will rise to 350,000 units per year. The second phase is due to start in 2017, with the first installation in Ford cars planned for 2018.
The Business Secretary Vince Cable said: "From pencil line to production line, these engines will be fully designed and built in the UK, securing the future of the plant at Dagenham and creating over 300 new jobs."
In a keynote speech delivered to the CBI just before Ford's announcement, Mr Cable highlighted the effectiveness of industrial policy, particularly in the context of the automotive industry. He said: "It’s now one of our most successful industries – an enormous amount of capital is now being invested not just by the OEMs but further through the supply chain. I think £6 to £8 billion in the last few years."
The Business Secretary's statement resonates with the findings of the LowCVP's study 'Investing in the Low Carbon Journey', which was published alongside the Partnership's annual conference in July.
The latest figures from the SMMT show that UK car production in the first nine months of 2014 was at its highest level since before the recession in 2008 at 1,132,017 units.
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