Ford Motor Argentina

Ford Motor Argentina
Subsidiary
Industry Automotive
Founded 1913 (1913)
Headquarters General Pacheco, Buenos Aires. Argentina
Key people
 Jorge Di Nucci Manager Institutional Affairs
Products currently: Ford Focus, Ford Ranger
Number of employees
 2,123
Website www.ford.com.ar

Ford Motor Argentina is a subsidiary of Ford Motor Company and was founded in Buenos Aires in 1913.[1] Its first products were Model Ts assembled from Complete Knock Down (CKD) kits provided by Ford Motor Company in 1917. Nevertheless, Ford Motor Argentina is best known in more recent times for producing the Ford Focus and, previously, the Argentine version of the Ford Falcon,[2] originally a US model introduced in Argentina in 1961, but adapted to the Argentine market.

History

The first Ford assembly plant in La Boca, Buenos Aires, c. 1921.

In 1913, Ford entered the Argentine market, and in 1917, Buenos Aires became home to the first assembly operation of Ford products in Latin America, in 1922 a stamping and assembly factory was inaugurated in La Boca. At that time the products were marketed through a net composed of 285 dealers. The administrative staff and the personnel of paid workers came to 400. Later, and due to the rising demand the plant was enlarged, coming its staff to 1,500 people.

1927 Ford Model T
Fords model T's and A's dotted the countryside up to about 1965

In 1939, with the Second World War outbreak, the importation of vehicles and components is closed. The production was restricted to finishing the units with the available material, but the increasing lack of basic supplies for the production forced to stop the activity. During this time, Ford manufactured batteries and it attended its clients with the sale of spare parts and car accessories made in local repair shops. Later, this would give rise to the beginning of the Argentinean auto part industry.

In 1957 Ford Motor Argentina activities restarted in its La Boca facilities with the first commercial vehicles of the "F" line pick ups produced. This manufacturing plant originally opened in 1925 for the production of the Ford Model T. In 1962 the "F" line pick ups began to be produced at the Pacheco Assembly Plant. The former Ford Motor Argentina S.A. was incorporated in 1959.

Autolatina joint venture

In 1987, Autolatina Argentina was formed by the merger of Ford Motor Argentina and Volkswagen Argentina. Each brand maintained their own corporate image, the marketing and sales structures, as well as independent dealerships and service shops. All other departments were consolidated, allowing significant cost cutting, but also cutting the workforce almost in half. Sales figures and profitability were disappointing and the joint venture was dissolved in 1994, and on 1 January 1995, Ford Argentina S.A. was reestablished. Under the Autolatina separation plans, Ford became sole owner of the Pacheco plant, which was modified to incorporate the production of the Escort car and Ranger pick-ups. (Volkswagen acquired the existing truck plant and converted it for car assembly.)

In December 1996, all Ford Argentina plants and the Customer Assistance Division obtained ISO 9002 certification and in April 1999, Pacheco Assembly Plant obtained ISO 14001 certification.

In August 2000 the production of the Ford Focus started in Pacheco Plant, and the Focus was honored as the "Car of the Year" in Argentina by two different councils of journalists.

In 2000, Ford held 14.9% of the market share, ranking second in the market. Market participation was 13.4% in cars and 18.9% in trucks; where Ford maintains leadership, production volume was 56.300 units. Ford ranked first among automotive manufacturers regarding exports. In 2007, Ford has 12.8% market share, ranking third after Peugeot-Citroën [PCA] (28.5%) and General Motors (20.5%) with a production volume of over 64.000 units.[3]

With over 95 years of industrial presence in Argentina, Ford is a highly appreciated brand in Argentina, with a very positive image. Ford was elected as the brand of the century. Its production facilities are dedicated to supply products for the domestic market and to exports to several countries. A large portion of its production is exported, making Ford among the export leaders in the country.

Argentine "Dirty War"

Ford Motor Company of Argentina was accused of collaborating with the Argentine 1976-1983 military dictatorship, actively helping in the political repression of intellectuals and dissidents that was pursued by said government. No result was proven and the company denied the allegations.

In a lawsuit initiated in 1996 by relatives of some of the estimated 30,000 Argentine citizens who disappeared during the "Dirty War", evidence was presented to support the allegation that much of this repression was directed by Ford and the other major industrial firms. According to a 5,000-page report, Ford executives drew up lists of "subversive" workers and handed them over to the military task-forces which were allowed to operate within the factories. These groups allegedly kidnapped, tortured and murdered workers—at times allegedly within the plants themselves. The company denied the allegations.

In a second trial, a report brought by the CTA, and the testimonies of former Ford workers themselves, claimed that the company's Argentine factory was used between 1976 and 1978 as a detention center, and that management allowed the military to set up its own bunker inside the plant. The company denied the allegations.[4][5]

General Corporate Timeline

Models assembled/manufactured/marketed (in chronological order)

Passenger cars

Trucks

Current Models

(As of April 2013)

Current passenger cars

  1. Ford Ka
  2. Ford Fiesta One (5th gen Hatchback)
  3. Ford Fiesta Max One (5th gen Sedan)
  4. Ford Kinetic (6th gen Hatchback)
  5. Ford Kinetic 4P (6th gen Sedan)
  6. Ford Focus (Both Hatchback and Sedan versions)
  7. Ford Mondeo
  8. Ford S-Max
  9. Ford Nueva EcoSport
  10. Ford Kuga

Current commercial vehicles

  1. Ford Nueva Ranger
  2. Ford Transit Furgon
  3. Ford Transit Minibus
  4. Ford C195E
  5. Ford C1517
  6. Ford C1722
  7. Ford C1932
  8. Ford C2632

Ford in South America

In South America, Ford's primary operations are in Brazil, Argentina and Ford Andina[7] (Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador). Ford employs over 18,000 people and operates seven assembly or other plants in the region.[8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ www.auto-historia.com History of Ford in Argentina - accessed 29 November 2008
  2. ↑ www.todofalcon.com.ar Historia del Ford Falcon (In Spanish) - accessed 29 November 2008
  3. ↑ www.buyusa.gov - accessed 7 December 2008
  4. ↑ www.commondreams.org Ford Motor Is Linked to Argentina's "Dirty War" - accessed 1 December 2008
  5. ↑ www.bbc.co.uk Argentina checks Ford's "military ties" - accessed 1 December 2008
  6. ↑ www.automotiveworld.com Ford to invest US$156.5m in Pacheco facility - accessed 30 December 2008
  7. ↑ Ford Automotive Operations - Latin America - Accessed 03/11/2011
  8. ↑ www.ford.com Ford Motor Company Global Operations - accessed 1 December 2008

External links

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