Consistently high output at Ford Dagenham over the last 50 years has propelled production at the East London engine site past the milestone of 40 million engines – enough to stretch 20,000 miles, or four fifths of the way around the globe, when placed end to end.
While Ford India will be celebrating an important milestone at the Ford plant in Chennai tomorrow, Ford Dagenham, in East London which has been engineering and manufacturing engines since 1931 celebrates production of 40 million engines. Over 50 per cent of global Ford diesel engine demand is supplied by Dagenham.
Dagenham-built engines have powered many famous Ford vehicles including the Ford Escort, Cortina, Capri, Granada, and Transit models. Today engines from Ford’s largest UK plant power the best-selling vehicles in Britain: the Ford Fiesta, Ford Focus and Ford Transit.
Joe Greenwell, Ford Britain chairman, said: “Dagenham producing 40 million engines is a significant milestone for Ford’s biggest UK site. Ford Dagenham now produces Ford’s most fuel-efficient engine in the 1.6-litre TDCi unit and exports to 12 countries around the world as part of our global ‘One Ford’ strategy. This site is helping to power the UK’s sustainable economic recovery.”
Ford Dagenham also ships engine parts to India, and will be increasing the number of engines and parts shipped to Argentina, Brazil, China, France, India, Italy, Japan, North America, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand and The Philippines – further boosting Dagenham’s production of engines.