Ford Automobile Co boasts one of the largest enterprise industrial clusters in Chongqing, and it recently expanded further.
Chang'an Ford Automobile currently has three vehicle manufacturing plants, one engine plant, one transmission plant and one research and development center. The newest project, Chang'an Ford Engine Plant, is located in the North New Area of the Liangjiang New Area and it started operation in June 2013.
The contract to construct the new engine plant for Chang'an Ford Automobile - with total investment of $ 500 million - was signed in Sept 2010, and executives are aiming for an annual output of 400,000 engines.
When Liangjiang New Area was established in 2010, John F. Kwant, vice-president of Government Affairs for Ford's Asia-Pacific and Africa Operations - who had visited Chongqing three times - spoke of this confidence in the city's investment environment. Motor Company
Ford's second vehicle manufacturing plant in Chongqing, Chang'an Ford Mazda Automobile Chongqing Plant 2 - with total investment of $490 million - was launched in February 2012, and it is expected to increase Chang'an Ford Automobile's annual production capacity to over 600,000 vehicles, an increase of 150,000.
The construction of Chang'an Ford Mazda Automobile Chongqing Plant 3, with total investment of 4.8 billion yuan ($ 788 million), started in September 2012, and Alan Mulally, president and chief executive officer of Ford Motor, said that the Liangjiang New Area will become Ford's second large manufacturing base - following Michigan in the United States.
Mulally said that Ford is confident to build the global automobile manufacturing base in Liangjiang New Area due to its attractive preferential policies and unique geographical advantages. He also said that Ford's expansion in China demonstrates the company's confidence in Chongqing and in China's market and Ford will focus on China to develop its global operations.