Saturday, December 30, 2006
An analyst said the move means the plant probably isn't slated to close.
AVON LAKE, Ohio (AP) -- Ford Motor Co. is planning to invest in a Northeast Ohio plant, giving workers and government officials hope that its future is secure as the company figures out which sites it may close by 2012.
Ford will invest 60 million in improvements to the Ohio Assembly Plant and marketing the Ford Econoline van made there in return for the county's decision to forgive about 790,000 of interest on personal property taxes, Lorain County Commissioner Lori Kokoski said Friday.
Kokoski said she was informed of the Ford plans for the plant in an e-mail about a week ago from a Ford government affairs official.
Ford spokeswoman Anne Marie Gattari said Friday that the company will invest in the plant but would not provide specifics.
"This is an indication they want to keep the Ohio Assembly Plant," Avon Lake Mayor Rob Berner said.
The company made a multimillion investment in the construction of a paint shop at the former Lorain Assembly Plant in 1995. That plant was closed permanently a year ago.
"If they are going to invest, that is good news," said Jerome Williams, vice president of United Auto Workers Local 2000 in Avon Lake.
The investment is a good sign that the plant probably isn't on the chopping block, said David Cole, an analyst with the Center for Automotive Research.
Ford has idled two plants and has identified seven others to be idled by 2008. Ford plans to end production at 16 facilities by 2012.