Ford Motor Company Dearborn Truck Plant – Dearborn, Michigan, USA

The Ford Motor Company Dearborn truck plant, formerly known as the Ford River Rouge Complex or simply The Rouge, is a manufacturing facility located alongside the River Rouge in Dearborn, Michigan, USA.

Part of the Ford Rogue Center that was originally built in 1928, the plant was once the largest integrated factory in the world, serving as inspiration for the Russian GAZ factory and the Hyundai manufacturing complex in Ulsan, South Korea.

While the plant currently focuses its operations on the assembly of full-size trucks like the Ford F-150, it was once the central manufacturing hub for the Ford Mustang, the Mercury Capri and the Mercury Cougar. The Ford Rouge Center has been qualified as a National Historic Landmark District for its notable architecture and impact on the economy of the United States.

This page shows information about the Ford Motor Company Dearborn truck plant.

Quick Facts

Year opened	1948
Facility size	2,600,000 square feet (241,547 m2)
Land occupied	1,100 acres
Location	3001 Miller Rd, Dearborn, MI 48120, United States
Hourly employees	4,200
Salaried employees	200
Total employees	4,400

Products

Vehicles	Production Years
Ford F-150	1948 - present
Ford Mustang	1964 - 2004
Mercury Capri	1979 - 1986
Mercury Cougar	1966 - 1973

Historical Timeline

1928: construction of the Ford River Rouge Complex is completed, making it the largest integrated factory in the world at the time.
1937: a group of workers attempting to organize a union are severely beaten, an event later called the Battle of the Overpass.
1978: the Ford River Rouge Complex is designated as a National Historic Landmark District for its architecture and historical importance to the industry and economy of the United States.
1987: Ford plans to replace the Mustang car with the front wheel drive Ford Probe,which would stop Mustang assembly at Rouge. Public outcry quickly turned to surging sales. With the fourth-generation Mustang a success, the facility is saved and Ford decides to invest in the plant.
1999: a gas explosion kills six employees and injures two dozen more, resulting in the idling of the nearby power plant. Michigan Utility CMS Energy builds a state-of-the-art power plant across Miller Road to replace the electricity and steam production, as well as the blast furnace waste gas consumption of the original power plant.
2004: a red convertible Ford Mustang GT marks the final Mustang manufactured at this location. The Rouge becomes officially known as the Dearborn Truck Plant and focuses its activities on the production of the Ford F-150 full-size truck.
2020: Ford begins production of the all-new, 14^th-generation 2021 Ford F-150, while also making two new announcements. First, that the all-electric F-150 will go into production at a new facility within the Ford Rogue plant by mid-2022. Second, that it will launch a new brand campaign called “Built for America” that highlights the F-Series’ contribution to the United States’ economy in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.