Ford Reopening Shuttered Canadian Engine Factory; Could Be Site for New "EcoBoost" Engines
By John O'Dell March 31, 2008By Scott Doggett, Contributor
Bucking its downsizing efforts, Ford Motor Co. said Monday that it will reopen a Canadian factory to produce a new line of engines.
Ford will invest C$170 million (US$165 million) in the Essex Engine Plant in Windsor, Ontario, with an additional C$17 million (US$16.5 million) in support from the Ontario government, company and provincial spokeswomen said.
The world's third-largest automaker closed the plant, affecting about 600 employees, in November as part of a broad restructuring that will shutter 16 facilities by 2012.
Ford "will be committing a new engine to the plant," production will start "within the next couple of years" and about 300 workers will be added to the handful now at the plant, Ford spokeswoman Angie Kozleski told Green Car Advisor. She would not elaborate, citing "competitive reasons."
The Associated Press quoted Ontario government spokeswoman Jane Almeida as saying that the plant was expected to reopen in the next few months. In December, Ford announced plans to produce "EcoBoost" engines for more than 2.5 million Ford, Mercury and Lincoln vehicles from launch in 2009 through 2013.
The turbocharged, direct-injected four- and six-cylinder engines will be good for up to 20 percent better fuel economy compared with larger displacement engines, Ford promised, and produce 15 percent fewer carbon-dioxide emissions.
Ford said the torque-enhanced performance delivered by EcoBoost will enable a six-cylinder engine to mimic a V8 and a four-cylinder to replicate the performance of a larger six-cylinder power plant.
The Essex plant produced V6 and V8 engines, among other products, before it was closed. No one reached at Ford Monday would confirm that the plant now would produce the new EcoBoost engines.
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