Ford Motor Company today celebrates a significant milestone in the company’s storied history with the production of its 350 millionth vehicle. The historic vehicle, an all-new global Ford Focus, the best-selling vehicle in the world, embodies the next chapter in the story of Ford – one driven by an expanding global footprint of fuel-efficient vehicles and an aggressive plan for profitable growth around the world.
“Consider, for a moment, the enormity of 350 million vehicles,” said John Fleming, Ford executive vice president of Global Manufacturing. “It’s equivalent to producing one vehicle every 10 seconds for 109 years; and, if placed end to end, would stretch to the moon and back – twice. It’s an incredible achievement and indicative of why we’re all excited about the future.”
Ford is celebrating this production milestone at its newest global manufacturing facility located in Rayong, Thailand, about 200 kilometers (120 miles) southeast of Bangkok. Ford Thailand Manufacturing (FTM) plant, a $450 million facility, opened in May 2012 to produce the global Ford Focus, the company’s best-selling vehicle in the world. FTM represents the latest in Ford’s global manufacturing capabilities, with new stamping presses, flexible body shops and robotic capabilities that enable it to produce up to six different vehicles simultaneously.
“Producing this vehicle for Ford in Thailand is more than a simple milestone,” said Fleming. “It’s symbolic of our plan to generate growth by building great global products in ultra-flexible and efficient facilities, not just here in Thailand, but everywhere in the world.”
