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• Ford Rouge Center makes history again during launch of its unique redevelopment

   

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Ford : Ford Rouge Center

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 "We believe the new assembly plant will provide a terrific opportunity to begin transforming one of the enduring symbols of the industrial age," said James Padilla, Ford group vice president of Global Manufacturing. "This will be a world-class facility designed to expand our manufacturing vision, test advanced environmental concepts, and over time, work toward a new model for future Ford facilities."   

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Ford architects are planning to take the idea of "flexible manufacturing" to a new level by designing a facility capable of interchanging three vehicle platforms and producing up to nine different models.

"The ability to produce different cars and trucks on the same lines will allow us much greater flexibility to respond quickly to consumer demand and changes in the market," said Padilla. "In the long run, this will enable us to better satisfy our customers." 

Its flexible tooling equipment will incorporate state-of-the-art lean manufacturing principles, including synchronous material flow and advanced in-station process controls.

• Reduction of assembly stations by 40%

As part of its lean operations, the new assembly plant will reduce by nearly 40 percent the number of workstations normally needed to move a vehicle through the assembly process. Also, individual operators will have greater responsibility to complete and verify operations within the workstations. 

The new plant will dramatically reduce the space normally needed for both component and finished vehicle storage. Finished vehicle storage space will be reduced by 50 percent inside and outside the plant. The new plant will have no more than two hours of line-side parts inventory and 10 hours of off-line component inventory space. The normal inventory supply for most assembly plants is one to two days or more.  

• 90% of vehicles shipped the same day

"That means that 90 percent of vehicles we produce are shipped the same day," Padilla said. To meet those demands, the new facility will have approximately 500 inbound deliveries and 200 outbound shipments per day. 

A new paint shop constructed this year, and currently supporting the Dearborn Assembly Plant, will be used with the new facility. It has world-class, water-based primer and base coat paint systems and a high-solids clear coat system. Together with advanced abatement equipment, the new shop has significantly reduced emissions while maintaining high-quality standards. 

$ 2 Bill. investment into renovations  

The cost of renovations at the Rouge is about $2 billion, factoring in work already completed, the new assembly plant and related improvements for the site. 

Other key features of the new assembly plant will focus on the major Ford Production System elements of safety, quality, delivery, value and employee well being. These include: 

• Synchronous manufacturing and just-in-time delivery, achieved with drive-through truck docks that have side unload delivery capability. 

• Electrical monorail system and power roll lift tables that provide greater flexibility to adjust line speeds and address quality issues quickly on the line. 

• Mezzanines and overhead walkways that reduce the amount of pedestrian traffic in work areas. As an added safety measure, no forklifts will be allowed in the production area of the facility. 

• A "food court" with a patio and rooftop eating space, instead of the traditional cafeteria, to provide more options to employees. 

• All employees will meet weekly in work teams, and each team will have its own meeting room. 

• Connectivity between the plant floor and suppliers will improve; all the teams have computer access to interact directly with suppliers on technical and quality issues. 

• Thirty-five huge skylights that provide natural lighting to improve the work environment. 

• Ergonomically designed conveyers that adjust to people, eliminating the need for people to adjust to the height of conveyors. 

• Conditioned air inside the plant, which during summer has less humidity and is up to 15 degrees cooler than outside temperatures. 

Once the world's largest integrated industrial site, the new Ford Rouge Center will represent Ford Motor Company's vision of balancing advanced ecological concepts within a world-class, lean manufacturing center. 

"At a manufacturing plant we realize such an idea might seem like an impossible dream to some people. But we are passionate that it is a goal worth pursuing," said Padilla. 

One of the most prominent ecological features of the new plant is the world's largest industrial "living roof" covering an area of 454,000 sq. ft. It will reduce stormwater runoff by absorbing rain water and managing run-off flow as an effective flood control measure. It also protects the roof from sudden changes in temperature and the harmful effects of the sun's ultraviolet radiation. 

Fuel cells will be used to power part of the plant's computer system, and other renewable energy sources are being studied. 

The Dearborn Assembly Plant was a key element of Henry Ford's vision of a self-contained, integrated manufacturing complex, where most vehicle components were made from raw materials and assembled into a finished product. Since 1964, DAP has produced the famed Ford Mustang. The DAP will continue operations until sometime after the new plant is completed. 

The project depends upon completing negotiations regarding local, county and state incentives.