Ford invests $900 million to modernise Thai auto plants

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The plan includes a near doubling of the number of robots at its Thai manufacturing plant and at AutoAlliance Thailand, a venture with Mazda Motor (OTC:MZDAY) Corp, while $400 million of the investment will go towards its supply chain network.

It will also add a second shift to the Ford plant which will result in as many as 1,250 new jobs, bringing its workforce in Thailand to more than 9,000.

The move contrasts with the closures https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ford-motor-brazil-idUSKBN29G2E9 of three of its plants in Brazil this year, part of a $11 billion global restructuring and its strategy to achieve 8% global operating margins. It is also pulling out https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/ford-wakes-up-badly-burnt-its-india-dream-2021-09-17 of production in India where it has long struggled to make profit.

Thailand is Asia’s fourth-largest auto assembly and export hub, accounting for about 10% of the country’s GDP and manufacturing jobs.

Last year, General Motors (NYSE:GM) sold its Thai factories to China’s Great Wall Motor, which has begun producing SUVs and plans to make electric vehicles in the country.

Thailand’s state-owned energy firm PTT Pcl has said it will invest $1 billion to $2 billion in an EV plant with Taiwan’s Foxconn (TW:2317).