Rising Truck Demand Leads To New Investment, New Jobs At Ford

LOUISVILLE, KY (WWJ) - Ford is investing $80 million into its Louisville truck plant, adding 350 new jobs, due to increasing demand for the larger Super Duty pickup trucks built at the facility.

"We're going to take our capacity up by fifteen percent, which is about 55,000 vehicles to build more of those Super Duty trucks," said Ford President of the America's Joe Hinrichs.

Kentucky Truck Plant produces F-250, F-350, F-450 and F-550 Super Duty pickups, as well as Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator. The large pickups are used primarily as work trucks.

"We continue to see strong growth in the sectors of the economy that really associate well with truck sales," said Hinrichs. "For, example the housing market continues to grow. Other parts of the industry like oil, shale and the whole situation surrounding that. And, construction is starting to come back."

The $80 million investment will go to a number of facility upgrades, including retooling for the increased capacity.

"We are happy to be adding new jobs at Kentucky Truck Plant, because we know the impact these jobs will have on the local community," said Jimmy Settles, UAW vice president, National Ford Department. "It's especially rewarding to know these jobs come as a result of customer demand."

Ford says it's added 14 thousand new jobs in the last few years.

Ford has been manufacturing vehicles in Kentucky since 1913. It has another plant in the Louisville area that builds Escape SUV's.

The Kentucky Truck Plant, which opened in 1969, covers six million square feet and employs nearly four thousand people.

"This is a great day to be both 'Ford Tough' and a Kentuckian," said Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear. "For more than a century, Ford has created quality vehicles and quality jobs in the Commonwealth of Kentucky."

Ford's Joe Hinrichs says they will be ramping up the new production quickly.

"The people have been hired. We're going to start introducing the increased capacity this spring."

Connect with Jeff Gilbert
Email: jdgilbert@cbs.com
Facebook: facebook.com/carchronicles
Twitter: @jefferygilbert