Ford is set to invest £230m in its Halewood vehicle transmission facility, where it will focus on building electric power units for its all-electric passenger and commercial vehicles to be sold across Europe.
Power unit production in Halewood is expected to begin in mid-2024. Production capacity is likely to be around 250,000 units a year. The investment – which is subject to and includes U.K government support – will help to safeguard Ford jobs at the Liverpool site.
Stuart Rowley, president of Ford of Europe, said: “This is an important step, marking Ford’s first in-house investment in all-electric vehicle component manufacturing in Europe. It strengthens further our ability to deliver 100% of Ford passenger vehicles in Europe being all-electric and two-thirds of our commercial vehicle sales being all-electric or plug-in hybrid by 2030.
“We also want to thank the UK government for its support for this important investment at Halewood which reconfirms Ford’s continuing commitment to the UK and our position as a leading investor in this country’s auto industry and technological base.”
According to Ford, the Halewood transmission facility was chosen to supply the power units given its record on quality, competitiveness and the strong skills base and commitment of the employees.
“We’re delighted the company has decided to make this important investment at Halewood, helping to safeguard Ford jobs at the site into the future. The decision recognises the experience, commitment and competitiveness of our world class workforce and is a great source of pride for all of us working at Halewood Transmission Plant and for the wider community,” said Kevin Pearson, Unite union convenor for Halewood.
Halewood currently builds transmissions for a number of passenger and commercial vehicles, exporting 100% of its production. Engines and transmissions from Ford’s UK facilities are exported to 15 countries, on six continents with overseas sales generating around £2.5bn annually.
