Ford Motor Co is investing $900 million to upgrade factories in Thailand that build its Ranger pickup truck and Everest SUV, its largest-ever investment in the country. The plan includes a near doubling of the number of robots at its Thai manufacturing plant and at AutoAlliance Thailand, a venture with Mazda Motor Corp, while $400 million of the investment will go towards its supply chain network. It will also add a second shift to the Ford plant which will result in as many as 1,250 new jobs, bringing its workforce in Thailand to more than 9,000. In Thailand, Ford is able to produce around 270,000 vehicles annually, Director of Communications Thailand and ASEAN Markets, Kamolchanok Prasertsom, said. About 60% is exported Asia-Pacific markets like Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines where its pickup trucks are popular.

Source: Reuters