Ford opens new plant in Gujarat; will launch Figo Aspire next

Ford India has inaugurated its second plant in India. Located at Sanand in the state of Gujarat, the new plant has been set up with an investment of more than US$ 1 billion.

The new plant is spread over an area of 460 acres and has facilities for stamping, body, paint and assembly operations for vehicle manufacturing, as well as machining and assembly operations for engine manufacturing. The plant has an initial installed annual capacity of 2,40,000 vehicles and 2,70,000 engines. With the commissioning of this plant, Ford has increased its annual installed capacity in India to 6,10,000 engines and 4,40,000 vehicles.

The plant will launch with single shift operations, supported by approximately 2,500 employees. It is also expected to generate employment for more than 7,500 people across tier I suppliers and the rest of the value chain.

The Ford Figo Aspire compact sedan will be the first car to be rolled out from the Sanand plant. The sub-4 metre vehicle is expected to replace the Classic sedan and will take on the Maruti Suzuki Dzire, Honda Amaze, Hyundai Xcent and Tata Zest. It will be powered by 4-cylinder 1.2-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel engines.