February 27, 2009: 12:15 AM ET
DETROIT -(Dow Jones)- Ford Motor Co. (F) will begin building its next generation fuel-efficient engine at a Cleveland plant the auto maker idled in 2007. The move is expected to create about 250 jobs.
Production of the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engines will start in the second quarter. The engines will be used to power the 2010 Lincoln MKS, Lincoln MKT, Ford Taurus SHO and Ford Flex. Ford invested $55 million for tooling and equipment upgrades at its Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1.
The EcoBoost is Ford's attempt at increasing the efficiency of its engine while cutting emissions. The engines combine direct fuel-injection and turbo boosting to give up to 20% better fuel economy and reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 15%. Ford wants to produce 750,000 EcoBoost engines in North America on an annual basis by 2013.
More than 90% of Ford's North America product lineup will have the engines.
Workers will receive 250 hours of training. Cuyahoga Community College will provide four weeks of onsite classroom training and each work can receive 10 credit hours toward an associate's degree in advanced manufacturing technology. "They will have the chance to build and tear down the engines prior to working on the line," Cleveland site manager Jan Allman said in an interview with Dow Jones Newswires. "They will get machinery and minor maintenance skills."
-By Jeff Bennett
DETROIT -(Dow Jones)- Ford Motor Co. (F) will begin building its next generation fuel-efficient engine at a Cleveland plant the auto maker idled in 2007. The move is expected to create about 250 jobs.
Production of the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engines will start in the second quarter. The engines will be used to power the 2010 Lincoln MKS, Lincoln MKT, Ford Taurus SHO and Ford Flex. Ford invested $55 million for tooling and equipment upgrades at its Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1.
The EcoBoost is Ford's attempt at increasing the efficiency of its engine while cutting emissions. The engines combine direct fuel-injection and turbo boosting to give up to 20% better fuel economy and reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 15%. Ford wants to produce 750,000 EcoBoost engines in North America on an annual basis by 2013.
More than 90% of Ford's North America product lineup will have the engines.
Workers will receive 250 hours of training. Cuyahoga Community College will provide four weeks of onsite classroom training and each work can receive 10 credit hours toward an associate's degree in advanced manufacturing technology. "They will have the chance to build and tear down the engines prior to working on the line," Cleveland site manager Jan Allman said in an interview with Dow Jones Newswires. "They will get machinery and minor maintenance skills."
-By Jeff Bennett
