Ford Plans for Asia.....No Mention of Australia!!!!

csv8 · 01-10-2014, 10:52 AM

"DEARBORN, Mich. -- Ford Motor plans to take its Lincoln luxury brand to the Chinese market and turn China, India and Thailand into major Asian production hubs to strengthen its presence in a region the automaker has yet to fully cultivate.

Chief Executive Officer Mark Fields announced the medium-term plan through 2020 here Monday. He stressed that the company plans to continue investing in Asia -- a region seen accounting for 48% of the global auto market in 2020.

Ford aims to lift global sales volume by 50% to 9.4 million vehicles by that year and wants to expand Asian sales to one-third of the total from less than 20% today.

The company grew sales by 50% in China last year by touting its compact offerings. Debuting Lincoln there is the next step. The brand is now exclusive to North America, selling just 100,000 units a year."
http://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Comp...ensive-in-Asia

Ford is targeting triple this figure in 2020, with the Chinese market accounting for nearly half. It will invest $2.5 billion, mainly in China, to expand dealership networks and bolster its lineup.

The automaker plans to build two factories each in China and India. Similar projects will likely be added within a few years, said David Schoch, president for the Asia-Pacific region.

Ford envisions an Asian output capacity of 2.7 million units a year in 2020. This is up 70% from current levels, requiring the biggest investment by Ford in the past half century, according to Schoch.

But the company will not simply chase numbers, Fields warned. He appeared to have in mind the bitter lesson of five years ago, when the company nearly went bankrupt after an ill-conceived production blitz in North America.

Ford plans to make China, Thailand and India its big three Asian production hubs, and to introduce efficient, mixed-model production lines picked up from longtime Japanese partner Mazda across the region by 2017.

cheap · 01-10-2014, 11:07 AM

Reading between the lines, Ford is setting up for massive production out of China/India, all existing Ford manufacturing plants not already earmarked for closure should be worried. Everything that is not yet made in China soon will be.

Why can't "they" be truthful using plain English tell people what "they" intend to do? ("they" being all big corporations)

Wretched · 01-10-2014, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheap

Why can't "they" be truthful using plain English tell people what "they" intend to do? ("they" being all big corporations)

May be because there is still planning to be done, nothing is in concrete.
Therefore anything said could open up legal issues, striking, bad PR, etc.

jpblue1000 · 01-10-2014, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheap

Why can't "they" be truthful using plain English tell people what "they" intend to do? ("they" being all big corporations)

Oh Cheap we are getting through to you. A while ago you would decree that it is nobodies business what big business did, now your looking for transparency in corporate affairs. So proud.

Of course there is no mention of Australia. Look at the production numbers predicted. Australia's contribution annually would be equivalent to a week or two of production across Asia!.

JP

Road_Warrior · 01-10-2014, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csv8

"DEARBORN, Mich. -- Ford Motor plans to take its Lincoln luxury brand to the Chinese market and turn China, India and Thailand into major Asian production hubs to strengthen its presence in a region the automaker has yet to fully cultivate.

Chief Executive Officer Mark Fields announced the medium-term plan through 2020 here Monday. He stressed that the company plans to continue investing in Asia -- a region seen accounting for 48% of the global auto market in 2020.

Ford aims to lift global sales volume by 50% to 9.4 million vehicles by that year and wants to expand Asian sales to one-third of the total from less than 20% today.

The company grew sales by 50% in China last year by touting its compact offerings. Debuting Lincoln there is the next step. The brand is now exclusive to North America, selling just 100,000 units a year."
http://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Comp...ensive-in-Asia

Ford is targeting triple this figure in 2020, with the Chinese market accounting for nearly half. It will invest $2.5 billion, mainly in China, to expand dealership networks and bolster its lineup.

The automaker plans to build two factories each in China and India. Similar projects will likely be added within a few years, said David Schoch, president for the Asia-Pacific region.

Ford envisions an Asian output capacity of 2.7 million units a year in 2020. This is up 70% from current levels, requiring the biggest investment by Ford in the past half century, according to Schoch.

But the company will not simply chase numbers, Fields warned. He appeared to have in mind the bitter lesson of five years ago, when the company nearly went bankrupt after an ill-conceived production blitz in North America.

Ford plans to make China, Thailand and India its big three Asian production hubs, and to introduce efficient, mixed-model production lines picked up from longtime Japanese partner Mazda across the region by 2017.

Sorry, but why is this a surprise? Do you think it is still 2013? Ford as a manufacturing entity in this country is being cast off, I'm not sure what the drama is about??

Plus don't forget where all those China-only Fords are being engineered hmm?

Franco Cozzo · 01-10-2014, 12:43 PM

Maybe we would have still had the Falcon if we just designed it here and had it built in Thailand for us? It would probably be able to be sold at $29,990 DA?

FPV GTHO · 01-10-2014, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Damo

Maybe we would have still had the Falcon if we just designed it here and had it built in Thailand for us? It would probably be able to be sold at $29,990 DA?

Maybe they could have spent more on developing it, or fixing problems, but the large car market is still dying.

Nikked · 01-10-2014, 12:50 PM

Why would an artical largly concerning China mention Austra...wait...if J Dowling wrote it then it would.

"Ford's plans for a massive investment in China follows the shut down of Australian manufacturing following rapidly falling sales of the Falcon."

cheap · 01-10-2014, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpblue1000

Oh Cheap we are getting through to you. A while ago you would decree that it is nobodies business what big business did, now your looking for transparency in corporate affairs. So proud.

Of course there is no mention of Australia. Look at the production numbers predicted. Australia's contribution annually would be equivalent to a week or two of production across Asia!.

JP

WTF - you don't disappoint in manipulation and overextending claims to suit your manifesto - give it a rest your hand must have blisters by now.

GULL · 01-10-2014, 01:16 PM

My hand has many blisters

2011G6E · 01-10-2014, 04:46 PM

Because we're a tiny blip on the world car market. They obviously include us when they say "the region", but to be blunt we have less people on our entire continent than some large overseas cities and suburban areas.

I think it might be a case of the old Australian "hurt feelings" that people aren't talking about us all the time. We hardly rate a mention at the best of times overseas.

The large sedan market is dying...it's being rapidly taken over by far more versatile vehicles like smaller sedans, hatchbacks, small and medium SUV's and twin cab utes. Times change, markets change, and woe betide the car maker who doesn't realise this until it's far too late...

**Fordman1** · 01-10-2014, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheap

Reading between the lines, Ford is setting up for massive production out of China/India, all existing Ford manufacturing plants not already earmarked for closure should be worried. Everything that is not yet made in China soon will be.

Why can't "they" be truthful using plain English tell people what "they" intend to do? ("they" being all big corporations)

Something like :

We're closing manufacturing plants in Australia and becoming an importer ?

simon varley · 01-10-2014, 05:23 PM

the good news that he doesn't mention, is that the engineering for many of those products will continue to be done in Australia.

cheap · 01-10-2014, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barraxr8

Something like :

We're closing manufacturing plants in Australia and becoming an importer ?

No, something like:

We're closing plants in EU, Africa, Americas and most of Asia.

We tried to be a good corporate citizen but for all our trouble we got roadblocks such as, militant unions, free trade agreements, clean air requirements (including CO2), high corporate taxes, high wages and so on. All of which made it financially unviable to stay in the EU, Africa's, Americas and most of Asia.

We hope you enjoy your new Chinese Ford, and look forward to your continuing support!

Rastas · 01-10-2014, 05:36 PM

Thats because its written by Dowling, wonder who he will pick on after the Falcon is gone!

Trump · 01-10-2014, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simon varley

the good news that he doesn't mention, is that the engineering for many of those products will continue to be done in Australia.

Reading between the lines makes me think that more than just assembly will move to China and India. I don't see Ford's Australian engineering division surviving past 2017-18 and such a massive investment in China/India only confirms what I've suspected.

**GasoLane** · 01-10-2014, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rastas

Thats because its written by Dowling, wonder who he will pick on after the Falcon is gone!

I must have missed something here. Where does it mention Mr Dowling ?

mik · 01-10-2014, 07:09 PM

You cannot blame ford for chasing a dollar, everyone else is having their **** built in china or asia/india and its cheaper , so you`d be silly build stuff in a country where your losing $$$$$.

This maybe of interest.

http://www.thestreet.com/story/12895...ing-today.html

malazn mafia · 01-10-2014, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mik

You cannot blame ford for chasing a dollar, everyone else is having their **** built in china or asia/india and its cheaper , so you`d be silly build stuff in a country where your losing $$$$$.

This maybe of interest.

http://www.thestreet.com/story/12895...ing-today.html

If Ford built the I6T in china and continued with the Falcon there, I would forgive them in a heartbeat.

Syndrome · 01-10-2014, 08:03 PM

Like it or not Australia isn't a big priority. We are 23 million people on the ar5e end of the world far away from everybody that matters.

Franco Cozzo · 01-10-2014, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Syndrome

Like it or not Australia isn't a big priority. We are 23 million people on the ar5e end of the world far away from everybody that matters.

Very true, but everyone still wants to pedal their wares here for some reason, don't we have the most competitive market?

Maybe its because everyone wants a slice of the pie of screwing us over with the "Australia Tax" lol.

Moby Vic · 02-10-2014, 10:43 AM

Gee, a market with billions has more influence than a market with 20 million or so?

vztrt · 02-10-2014, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Damo

Maybe we would have still had the Falcon if we just designed it here and had it built in Thailand for us? It would probably be able to be sold at $29,990 DA?

And if it was a global car. There wouldn't be a business case for Falcon for the Oz/NZ markets.

Franco Cozzo · 02-10-2014, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vztrt

And if it was a global car. There wouldn't be a business case for Falcon for the Oz/NZ markets.

With some more $$ spent on the interior it could be a global car for sure, the only problem is it would compete with Taurus most likely in the USA, doubling up on vehicles.

I guess the Mondeo covers this segment size wise in Europe too.

vztrt · 02-10-2014, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Damo

With some more $$ spent on the interior it could be a global car for sure, the only problem is it would compete with Taurus most likely in the USA, doubling up on vehicles.

I guess the Mondeo covers this segment size wise in Europe too.

Worldwide there is a market for a RWD sedan. If it went global it would be like a T6 program. So 600mil spent on Falcon instead of $50 and a slab of Vic.

Road_Warrior · 02-10-2014, 12:03 PM

Even then the global market for a Ford branded RWD sedan would be under 100,000 units. In fact I'd bet it would be 50,000 max.

vztrt · 02-10-2014, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

Even then the global market for a Ford branded RWD sedan would be under 100,000 units. In fact I'd bet it would be 50,000 max.

Yes. But its a market with a good profit on each vehicle. Like Ranger.

Vesper Martini · 02-10-2014, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vztrt

Worldwide there is a market for a RWD sedan..

Yes and BMW have it covered.
and funny that, a woman at my work just brought one, she didn't know it was RWD or what that meant.

zilo · 02-10-2014, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simon varley

the good news that he doesn't mention, is that the engineering for many of those products will continue to be done in Australia.

only for a little while...betcha betcha betcha

danzvtil · 02-10-2014, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vztrt

Yes. But its a market with a good profit on each vehicle. Like Ranger.

No mass market car manufacturer makes money on just 50k vehicles. Ranger volume ex Thailand starts at 250k plus, and it is made in an auto alliance plant that makes other vehicles last time I checked.