The Blue Oval has struggled to regain its footing in certain regions, with South America representing one area where the automaker remains focused on stemming the bleeding. As Ford Authority reported in early 2021, the company decided to cease producing vehicles in Brazil altogether, and is now embarking on an importation scheme that will allow it to offer vehicles from other global markets. Those changes resulted in Ford Engineering programs to coalesce around specific regions, with Mexico becoming an important hub for product development.
Ford engineering in Mexico takes many different forms, from physical buildings to the human talent that enabled the company to develop several of its recent hits. The Ford Engineering Center is the largest facility of its type in Latin America, and it experienced a 900 percent growth in personnel from 2010-2022. Mexican engineers were significantly involved with the Ford Bronco Sport, as Ford says over 70 percent of its engineering took place there. Additionally, the compact off-road oriented crossover is manufactured at the Hermosillo Assembly plant in Mexico. On a related note, nine Mexican engineers worked on instrument panels for the 2022 Ford Expedition and 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning.
“Ford Mexico’s Engineering Center has evolved so much in recent years that we have become a fundamental arm for the company’s global projects. For many years, we thought that Mexican talent was mainly related to Manufacturing, but today, we have shown that we are equally or more valuable than the design engineers in countries like Germany, Australia or the United States,” said Marcos Pérez, director Product Development at Ford of Mexico.
As Ford Authority previously reported, the company is altering its operations in Latin America by focusing on regional hubs, and Brazil, like Mexico, has expanded its engineering capabilities as well. At this point, it is unclear if both regions are gearing up to work together on a cooperative basis to address the company’s issues in Latin America, or if these shifts represent a desire on Ford’s part to simply cultivate the talent located within each country.
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Comments
Germany 1 plant closed,
India 2 plants closed,
Russia JV ended,
UK Brigend engine 1 plant closed,
South america 3 plants closed,
Spain, Valencia to re hauled for EV (expect job cuts here)
What the hell is going on ? How is Ford getting away with this when they are directly affecting millions of workers life?
What the hell is going on ? How is Ford getting away with this when they are directly affecting millions of workers life?
You serious?
It is good news; about engineering involvement in Mexico, Manpower and talent are still at work there, to develop and produce high-quality vehicles for the world.
This is sickening. Management at Ford is pushing every woke trope in the book. Climate. Pride. Abortion in demand. Meantime they couldn’t care less about the American worker. And what is amazing to me about this article is not a single mention about the surge in quality issues during this “pivot”. SMH
I agree it is sickening. However, I don’t think it is Ford’s (or any other company) fault. We are living in what some call the Age of the Idiot. Mental midgets dominate the national discourse. The percentage of population that has adopted the Rule of Liberalism has now reached the tipping point. Part of the tenets of Liberalism that support it is the development of the Religion of Anti-Racism and Anti-Discrimination. Liberalism demands that both of these are the WORST sins imaginable, and atonement must be made to reach the promised land utopia. These required atonements led to the steady growth of the structures of “allowable debate” and the invention of all sorts of “phobias” and “isms” that dictate what can be done or said about any subject. These steadily tightening structures led to cancel culture in which anyone who does not or did not subscribe to such tenets are to be persecuted, silenced, and if necessary, removed for all eternity. In rapid succession they went from “respecting” others to SILENCING all dissent they deem unworthy of meeting their imposed standards. What started with Confederates has now progressed to George Washington and the Founding Fathers themselves. I am shocked they haven’t demanded a name change at Ford (he was antisemitic after all).
The willful acceptance of the tenets of Liberalism allowed it to gain political power. That political power is now enforced with increasing ferocity. Laws are made creating new “protected classes” and guarding against yet another “ism” or “phobia” deemed intolerable by the overlords of debate. It will only grow worse. They have shown willingness to destroy any person or business that does not conform to the letter.
The only hope is total rejection of the Rule of Liberalism and the tenets keeping it going. Growing a backbone is mandatory for this to happen. It does not seem to be happening anytime soon. That is not Ford’s fault, that is the fault of the public. The question of history will be just WHY so many people were self-masochistic.
All companies are doing the woke garbage. They keep doing it cuz people keep eating it up.