Ford to manufacture second vehicle at its Craiova Assembly Plant, bring workforce there to 5,900

Ford confirms manufacture of second vehicle at its Craiova Assembly Plant in Romania; its new model is in addition to current Ford EcoSport small SUV and 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine, adding an additional 1,500 jobs, and bringing workforce at Craiova to 5,900. 

"Ford confirmed today it is investing up to 200 million EUROS and adding an additional 1,500 jobs to manufacture a second vehicle at its Craiova Assembly Plant, in Romania. The new vehicle is in addition to the EcoSport small SUV currently built in Craiova, plus Ford's 1.0 litre EcoBoost engine (...) Ford's overall investment in its Romanian manufacturing operations - including today's 200 million-euro investment announcement - is nearly 1.5 billion euro since acquiring the Craiova facility in 2008," according to a press statement released on Tuesday by Ford. 

The model and start date for production of the second vehicle will be confirmed closer to launch. 

"This new investment will add to our evolving line-up of exciting new models manufactured in Europe and continues the transformation of our Craiova facility,' said Steven Armstrong, president and CEO, Ford of Europe, Middle East & Africa. 'The addition of this second vehicle is a testament to the operational flexibility of our Craiova plant and reflects the strong partnerships we have with local suppliers and the community. 

"The expected increase in vehicle production at Craiova places even greater importance on the ongoing discussions between Ford and the Romanian government. Investing in Craiova's future is a sign of Ford's trust in the Romanian government's promises to deliver key upgrades infrastructure and logistics improvements, which are needed to maintain the global competitiveness of the Ford Craiova manufacturing operations. Any delay would significantly constrain Ford's and its suppliers' efforts to move increased volumes of vehicles and components," according to the statement.