The Ford Otosan assembly plant is an automotive manufacturing company created after a joint venture between the Ford Motor Company and Koç Holding, the largest industrial conglomerate in Turkey. The facility is located in the town of Gölcük in Turkey’s Kocaeli province. While Ford operations have been existing in Turkey since 1928, the company was established in its current form in 1977 and currently operates five facilities throughout the country.
The Otosan plant, in Kocaeli, opened in 2001. It has an annual production capacity of 320,000 vehicles, has its own port and oversees the assembly of commercial vehicles like the Ford F-MAX and the current Ford Transit.
This page shows information about the Ford Otosan assembly plant.
Quick Facts
Year opened
2001
Facility size
3,444,451 square feet (319,999 m2)
Land occupied
395 acres
Location
Deniz Evler Mah, Ali Uçar Cd. No 53, 41650 Gölcük/Kocaeli, Turkey
Hourly employees
TBA
Salaried employees
TBA
Total employees
7,530
Products
Vehicles
Production Years
Ford Transit
2001 - present
Ford Transit Connect
2002 - 2013
Ford Transit Custom
2012 - present
Ford F-MAX
2018 - present
Ford Transit Courrier
2014 - present
Historical Timeline
1928: Vehbi Koç is assigned as Ford dealer in Ankara.The following year, the Turkish national assembly grants Ford the right to install a local assembly operation in a free zone located in Istanbul’s port area.
1959: The Otosan plant opens its doors in Istanbul. Production of the Ford Consul begins six months later, marking the first model to be produced at the plant and the first Ford to be built in Turkey.
1965: The Ford Otosan plant begins production of the Thames and Thames Trader van as well as the D1210 truck.
1973: Production of the Ford Transit begins in Turkey.
1977: The company signs a license agreement with Ford so the company’s name can be changed to Ford Otosan.
1997: Ford further increases its share in the company to 41 percent, becoming equal partner with Koç Holding in the joint venture.
2001: The Gölcük, Kocaeli assembly plant opens and begins production,replacing the original Istanbul facility. The assembly plant mainly focuses its operations on commercial vehicle production, and manufactures the Ford Transit and the Ford Transit Connect. Both models are marketed worldwide.
2003: The company launches a new generation of the Ford Cargo heavy-duty truck.
2012: Ford reveals a new version of the Transit and a new Cargo heavy truck in 2013. The latter is co-developed by Ford Otosan in partnership with Ford Brazil. Manufacturing will be take place in both countries.