Ford India commenced commercial production of its compact car Figo, and diesel and petrol engines at a new factory here.
Ford signed a MoU with the Tamil Nadu government in September 2009, under which it had committed to invest an additional Rs 1,500 crore in ramping up operations to make new engines for Figo. The plant will have a capacity to manufacture 250,000 diesel and gasoline engines a year.
“Figo will be built exclusively in India and exported to Asian countries and South Africa,” said Ford India president and managing director Michael Boneham. He, however, declined to comment on the expected domestic sales and export figures. Last year, the company’s total production was 30,000 vehicles, he added.
“Our expanded investments in Tamil Nadu will benefit the region in the form of additional employment, both at the plant and at the growing local supply base,” Boneham said, adding the company would add 1,000 employees to the existing 2,100 at the facility post the expansion.