According to a recent article from the Windsor Star, plenty within the tool and die industry in Canada are excited about Ford’s plans to introduce six new SUV models by 2020 – five for Ford, and one for Lincoln.
That’s because “Windsor is probably the best world-class center for tools,” says Craig Wiggins of Tooling & Equipment Capital Solutions Inc. “When Ford, Chrysler or GM announce they’re building SUVs in North America, that’s great news for us,” because the cost of tooling up for a new platform typically ranges from $600 million to $1 billion, he says, with larger vehicles like SUVs tending toward the higher end of that scale.
Canadian Association of Mould Makers Chairman Jonathon Azzopardi tells the Windsor Star that there are around 170 mold-making shops in Southwestern Ontario, claiming 80 percent of Canada’s $2 billion-a-year mold-making industry. “We’ll get our fair share,” he says.
At the Detroit Auto Show last month, Ford confirmed that the iconic Bronco SUV would make a return to the North American market. The automaker also recently announced a future battery-electric crossover, and it’s suspected that two all-new Ford-branded crossover models will be introduced soon. Lincoln is also predicted to bring out a new, mid-size crossover in 2019, possibly named “MKD” or “Aviator.” The 2018 Ford EcoSport will be imported from India.
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