November 22, 2013
By Stephanie West
Albany, NY – Ford Motor Company is planning to invest $150 million to make significant upgrades to its Hamburg facility, just outside Buffalo. The new machinery and state-of-the-art equipment will allow the Ford Stamping Plant to remain competitive, secure its long-term presence in the region and retain 640 full-time, permanent jobs and create 350 new jobs in Western New York.
“Ford’s $150 million investment in its Hamburg facility is proof positive of Western New York’s status as a leading hub of advanced manufacturing,” Governor Cuomo said. “By going the extra mile with this major investment, Ford is cementing their competitiveness in the region while keeping and adding hundreds of good-paying jobs right here in Western New York.”
The Western New York stamping plant is the only remaining stand-alone Ford stamping plant, all others were either closed or integrated with assembly facilities. Ford’s investment will include the upgrading and addition of multiple press lines. The cut blanks, or pieces of metal that are stamped into car parts, will enable Ford to ship these blanks to any Ford plant in the country. The Hamburg plant is closely tied with the Oakville, Ontario assembly plant, considered by Ford to be one of the most competitive and important facilities in the Ford system.
Scott Adams, director UAW region 9 said, “It's huge for the Stamping plant, for the UAW members, and the community. This investment in new machinery and lines will eventually lead to this plant operating with nearly a thousand employees. That's tremendous growth that really gives present and future workers some long-term viability.”
