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Weekly UpdatesFord Motor Co. said that it will reopen the Cleveland Engine Plant #1 in late 2003. The plant is being modernized to accommodate new production of the Duratec V6, a dual overhead cam (DOHC) aluminum engine. Increased use of lightweight, advanced aluminum engines will help Ford meet its environmental commitments, according to Ford. Annual production is projected to be 325,000 units a year.
More than $350 million is being invested in new equipment and tooling, the company said. Over time, employment will return to 650, the level of employment before it closed. Today, more than 250 workers are involved in the facility's modernization efforts.
"This program will give the Cleveland Engine Plant #1 a new lease on life," said Roman Krygier, vice president - Ford Powertrain Operations. "The plant's future is assured due in large part to the teamwork and dedication of all of the parties involved." Cleveland Engine Plant #1, which turns 50 in December, was idled late last year when the 5.0-liter V8 was phased out of production.
Since that time, a radical facility redesign and modernization effort has been underway. "The roofline over a 372,000 square foot section has been raised by four feet in height -- the construction industry's largest roof-raising of its kind -- to allow for the installation of material handling equipment."
New ergonomically designed equipment will offer enhanced flexibility for small-batch production in both engine assembly and component machining operations, Ford said. This permits the plant to improve responsiveness to customer demand and reduce inventory levels, it added.
Cleveland Engine Plant #1 and #2 -- will have the capacity to produce more than one million units a year once CEP1 opens in 2003, according to Ford.
Design of the production area is based on industry-leading lean manufacturing principles from the Ford Production System (FPS). Output, quality levels and efficiency will be improved while reducing line-side inventory and waste through the implementation of just-in-time delivery and other best practices, Ford said.
The use of value stream mapping and Six Sigma problem-solving methods will result in reduced equipment operating costs and improved quality. In keeping with the FPS team-driven approach, hourly employees will be organized into functional workgroups, empowered to set their own goals as needed to ensure continuous improvement in the key areas of employee safety, customer satisfaction and labor productivity.
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