5:57 am, July 12, 2012
FORD’S Dagenham factory has clocked up its 40 millionth engine, it’s been announced.
Ford Dagenham, which has been engineering and manufacturing engines since 1931, now specialises in fuel-efficient diesel engines for Ford’s small, medium, and large car ranges, as well as featuring prominently in Ford’s commercial vehicles.
More than 50 per cent of global Ford diesel engine demand is supplied by Dagenham.
Dagenham-built engines have powered many famous Ford vehicles including the Ford Escort, Cortina, Capri, Granada, and Transit models. Today engines from Ford’s largest UK plant power the Fiesta, Focus and Transit.
Joe Greenwell, Ford Britain chairman, said: ‘Dagenham producing 40m engines is a significant milestone for Ford’s biggest UK site. Ford Dagenham now produces Ford’s most fuel-efficient engine in the 1.6-litre TDCi unit and exports to 12 countries around the world as part of our global ‘One Ford’ strategy. This site is helping to power the UK’s sustainable economic recovery.’
Production for Ford vehicles accounts for around 70 per cent of Dagenham’s output, with the balance comprising of more than 270,000 engines for Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, PSA Peugeot Citroen and Volvo.
Total production of petrol engines from Ford Bridgend in Wales and diesel engines from Ford Dagenham is sufficient to power one-in-three of Ford vehicles produced globally. These two plants have a total combined UK production capacity of two million engines, of which over 85 per cent are exported.
