Ford makes plans to retool three plants

WAYNE, Mich. (AP) — Ford Motor Co. said Wednesday it will spend $75 million to retool part of its Michigan Truck factory to make car bodies, part of the automaker’s plan to convert some truck factories to make smaller vehicles.

Michigan Truck’s 1,000 workers who now make Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator sport-utility vehicles will be sent to the nearby Wayne Assembly Plant, where Ford plans to add a third shift to make more Focus small cars.

Ford announced its plans to convert Michigan Truck in July and also said it would retool its Louisville Assembly plant, which makes Ford Explorer SUVs, to make small cars in 2011. The company had announced it would convert its Cuautitlan Assembly Plant in Mexico, which makes pickup trucks, to produce the Fiesta subcompact in 2010.