BETTER PARTS90 years Ford in Germany
Cologne, August 21, 2015
90 years ago, more precisely on 18 August 1925 was in Berlin the launch of Ford in Germany. On this day, the Ford Motor Company was officially registered in the Commercial Register. Only a day earlier, on August 17, the ban on imports of foreign cars was lifted. But the company wanted more than just finished selling cars: On January 2, 1926 warehouses were rented in Berlin's western harbor, where the first, mounted from import parts, T - model rolled off the assembly on April 8, 1926. Overall, Ford has built around 37,000 cars in the period until 1931 in Berlin.
Connection to the Rhine was important
Shortly after the decision was made to raise its own production to England and Germany. As the ground in Berlin had become too small, was looking for new locations. In addition to Frankfurt / Main and Cologne Neuss also up for debate. It was important that the new location has a direct connection to a waterway and centrally located in Europe. The decision fell on the City of Cologne, in the since then the headquarters of Ford Germany and since 1998 also the seat of the administration of Ford Europe.
Production start in Cologne
Twelve million Reichsmarks invested Ford in the new production facilities, which included an area of 33,000 square meters. The groundbreaking ceremony on October 2, 1930 in addition to the then mayor of Cologne and was later Federal Chancellor Konrad Adenauer and Henry Ford I present. On 1 June 1931, the Cologne plant was officially opened. 619 employees at the time produced the Model A, in the first year made more than 6,000 vehicles. Even before the Second World War started production of the Ford V8, the B - model of the Eifel and the Taunus, which provided in numerous versions even after the war still a sensation. In models Taunus 12 M, 15 M, 17 M, 20 M and 26 M, the figures were respectively the way for the displacement of the engines and the " M " for "masterpiece". Numerous series as the legendary Ford Capri or the models Granada, Consul and Scorpio followed.
1970 went in Saarlouis los
On January 16, 1970, in Saarland Saarlouis with the Ford Escort production of the second Ford plant in Germany. The first discharge was 50 vehicles per day. The site was officially inaugurated only on 11 June 1970: Henry Ford II, grandson of the founder, signed the Memorandum for the work. A short time later, production was ramped up and reached the target of 600 cars per day.
Fiesta is a Cologne
Today walk alone in the Cologne Ford plant, the European parent plant for the Fiesta, daily 1,850 vehicles off the assembly line. Since 1931 more than 16 million cars were built at the plant, which alone more than 7.8 million Fiesta. In addition to vehicle production there in Cologne - Niehl, inter alia, an engine and transmission manufacturing. In Cologne - Merkenich are the European Parts Distribution Center and the John Andrews Development Center of the manufacturer. There all small and medium cars for the whole world to be developed.
25,000 employees in Germany
In Saarlouis plant today arise in addition to the Focus sedan and the tournament, the ST, the Focus Electric and the derivatives C - Max and Grand C - Max ?? total 1,650 vehicles a day. Since 1970, more than 13.5 million cars have left the factory. Overall, Ford has built in the 90 years in Germany more than 30 million vehicles. Ford currently employs more than 25,000 employees in Germany.
Development Center in Aachen
Another site of international importance was in Germany in 1994 added: In Aachen, the only research center of Ford took outside the United States on his work. In the European Ford Research & Innovation Center ( RIC ) are currently working around 300 engineers and scientists. They are responsible for the Research and Advanced diesel engines, energy management, future electrical systems such as 48 volt systems as well as vehicle dynamics and chassis technologies . ( hd )