Ford announced today that it plans to expand production of electric- and internal combustion-powered vehicles at plants in Michigan and Ohio. The announcement was made at the Detroit Regional Chamber's annual policy conference on Mackinac Island.
It was a moment of bipartisan triumph that brought together Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Legislature's Democratic and Republican leaders — who worked together earlier this year to adopt incentives worth hundreds of millions of dollars to attract manufacturing plants. Whitmer said that helped pull the deal together.
"We've got to compete with the rest of the world to earn their investment here in Michigan and we won. This is a big win for Michigan."
Ford's commitment includes hiring 6,200 union workers and moving another 3,000 from part-time to full-time positions. Also, spending a billion dollars over five years to improve working conditions in its manufacturing facilities.