Ford Adding 7,000 U.S. Jobs in Next 24 Months

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--For much of the last three years, Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) (Dearborn, Michigan) has flown under the radar. While its American brethren have faced much-publicized bankruptcy proceedings and financial problems, plus a lengthy rebuilding process, Ford has stayed out of the limelight and run its business in an efficient manner. The automaker has made cuts where needed, closing unnecessary facilities and trimming its payroll, but has managed to do so without raising the hackles of the public. Ford's cost-cutting measures are finally paying off, as the automaker is poised to begin a measured expansion program aimed at keeping the focus firmly planted on slow and steady growth. To that end, Ford announced it would be adding 7,000 jobs in the U.S. by the end of 2012.

These jobs will be added in both the hourly and salaried areas in Ford's business units. Of the total jobs, 6,500 will be hourly in nature, with the largest portion taking place at the automaker's assembly plant in Louisville, Kentucky, where Ford will add 1,800 jobs by early next year. Ford is spending $600 million to perform a massive retooling of the Louisville assembly operation so that the automaker can begin producing the Ford Escape crossover SUV. Construction on the retooling began at the end of 2010, and the facility will be back in full operation by the beginning of 2012.

Another 2,200 hourly jobs will arrive this year at other Ford plants, while an additional 2,500 hourly jobs will be added in 2012. The exact location of these jobs has not yet been announced, but likely will be strategically placed wherever the automaker feels the greatest needs arise. Ford has been relatively closed-mouthed about its expansion plans during the last three years. The automaker has taken a very cautious approach to where it will invest its hard-earned money, only performing retools and upgrades with the occasional expansion as truly necessary, which is a major shift in management style from the carefree spending days of the past 20 years.

The balance of the new jobs, some 750 salaried positions, will be spread around nine regional research and development facilities. The salaried jobs will be added in Detroit, Michigan; Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; Cincinnati, Ohio; Columbus, Ohio; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Raleigh, North Carolina; Durham, North Carolina; and San Jose, California. These positions focus on engineers who specialize in the development of battery systems and energy storage for Ford's electric vehicle initiative, as well as system controls and software development for the same marketplace. Both General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) (Detroit, Michigan) and Chrysler Group LLC (Auburn Hills, Michigan) previously had announced similar salaried job additions to focus on development of the electric vehicle market.

Ford is hoping to take over the No. 1 position in terms of market share in the near future. Ford posted sales increases of 20% for 2010 and has added 1.2% to its U.S. market share. As the only American automaker to not require government aid in recent years or to go through bankruptcy proceedings, Ford is in a much better position than its traditional American rivals. Ford is also poised to enter the electric vehicle wars with a bang when they introduce the Ford Focus Electric later this year and the Ford Transit Connect, an electric minivan aimed at commercial markets, which is already available to fleet customers but has yet to make an appearance in the retail market.

Ford has positioned themselves well to take a leadership role in the fight for market share in the U.S. Ford is likely to get two electric vehicles on the market before its chief competitors and is hoping to maintain its sales momentum throughout 2011. Adding these jobs along with Ford's careful capital planning should poise the automaker for success throughout 2011 and into 2012, as long as they do not get greedy and overspend or overgrow as they have done in the past.

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