Ford Dagenham Estate To Benefit From Thames Freeport

May 8, 2023 2:08 pm

The Ford Dagenham Engine plant in England has experienced its fair share of ups and downs in recent years, as just a couple of years ago, The Blue Oval planned on closing that facility after four decades of service, as well as ending its manufacturing operations in the UK altogether. However, FoMoCo ultimately kept that plant going, and now, it’s producing diesel engines for the new Transit Custom and continues churning along, even after a contractor based at Ford Dagenham recently threatened to strike. Now, Ford Dagenham is getting another boost in the form of the new Thames Freeport.

The Thames Freeport is a newly-approved, 1,700-acre economic zone located in the Thames Estuary and the UK’s largest port – the Port of London. Created in partnership between Ford, Forth Ports Limited, and DP World, Thames Freeport will see over £4.6 billion ($5.8 billion USD) in new public and private investment, and the creation of over 21,000 new jobs – as well as many more across the supply chain. Today, the new site has already attracted six business and helped create around 500 jobs.

Thames Freeport connects Dagenham with global ports at London Gateway and Tilbury, as well as many additional communities, and will help drive growth, job creation, and local regeneration along its strategic corridor, advancing Ford’s green tech and mobility efforts even further.

“The reality is Thames Freeport makes Dagenham Estate a more attractive place for people to invest in,” said Dagenham Engine Plant manager Martin Everitt. “Businesses based in Thames Freeport benefit from time bound tax incentives, business rates relief, and National Insurance rates relief for new employees. The Freeport could potentially help with a business case to produce an alternative fueled commercial vehicle here at Dagenham. It also strengthens our links with local businesses and the local community. Opportunities for strategic ties have been enhanced with city markets, and the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.”

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By Brett Foote

Brett's lost track of all the Fords he's owned over the years and how much he's spent modifying them, but his current money pits include an S550 Mustang and 13th gen F-150.