Ford to increase domestic manufacturingDomestic automaker Ford recently announced plans to increase its production supply chain in the Midwest by investing in manufacturing facilities in Michigan.

Increase in American investment
The increase in domestic capabilities comes as part of Ford's plan to invest $6.2 billion in its American plants by 2015. As part of this plan, the company aims to create 12,000 new hourly jobs by 2015. According to NBC News, part of Ford's plan is to develop more flexible manufacturing operations that allow factories to better adjust to global markets and changing consumer demand.

The company has plans to spend more than $773 million to increase its manufacturing capabilities in the state. It will use the investment to purchase new equipment and expand its plant capacity in six of its current facilities. These investments may spur job growth in the area, as it is expected to create more than 2,300 new hourly positions and will allow the company to keep an extra 3,200 employees on its payroll.

Ford's investment plans include $59.4 million for stamping press line expansion at its Michigan Assembly Plant; $305 million for plant modernization efforts and other machinery updates at its Dearborn Stamping Plant; $161 million for new equipment to build Ford Fusions and another production plant at Flat Rock Assembly; $86 million for more equipment to increase axle manufacturing at Sterling Axle Plant; $87.7 million for machinery to produce more transmissions at Van Dyke Transmission and $74.7 million in equipment investments for transmission expansion at Livonia Transmission.

The latest company to increase American manufacturing
Even though many companies have moved their operations overseas in order to benefit from lower manufacturing labor costs, it has become more popular in recent years for some businesses to shift their production back to U.S. shores. Ford is only the latest company to jump on this trend, with its plan to increase investment and create more American jobs by 2015.

"Even as we wrap up an incredibly busy year of capacity expansions and product launches, we are continuing to look to the future," said Jim Tetreault, Ford vice president of North America Manufacturing. "These investments, many of which are already underway, will ensure our southeast Michigan manufacturing facilities can support our aggressive growth plans."
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