Ford adds 1,550 jobs to build new F-150 pickup truck

February 05, 2015 | 10:47

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Ford Motor said on Wednesday (Feb 4) it was adding 1,550 jobs in response to growing consumer demand for its new aluminium-bodied F-150 pickup truck.

Logo of Ford Motor. (AFP/Robyn Beck)

NEW YORK: Ford Motor said on Wednesday (Feb 4) it was adding 1,550 jobs in response to growing consumer demand for its new aluminium-bodied F-150 pickup truck.

Ford said the additional jobs will support stepped-up production of the 2015 Ford F-150, which went on sale in December. The F-150 is the best-selling truck in the United States and the all-new lighter version was named North American truck of the year at last month's Detroit auto show.

"These jobs are further proof that customers recognise the all-new F-150 as the toughest, smartest, most capable F-150 ever. We sell every truck we can build, and we plan to build more," said Joe Hinrichs, Ford president, The Americas, in a statement.

On Tuesday, Ford reported US sales rose 15 per cent in January from a year ago, and pointed to robust demand for the lighter F-150, which averaged 12 days on dealer lots, its fastest-selling vehicle.

Ford's 1,550 new jobs, set for the first quarter, will be divided among three Michigan plants and a plant in Kansas City, Missouri. Ford said that the additional jobs bring it to a threshold in its contract with the United Auto Workers union that results in an hourly wage increase for up to 500 workers, to US$28.50 from their entry-level wage of US$19.28, during the January-March period.

The second-largest US automaker noted it had added more than 5,000 hourly jobs across its US manufacturing facilities in 2014. Ford shares were up 1.2 per cent at US$15.84 in midday trade on the New York Stock Exchange.

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