The beast is where it belongs

Workers gathered in August in Avon, Lake, Ohio as Ford President of the America’s Joe Hendrichs unveiled the 2016 Ford F-650 and F-750 medium-duty trucks – marking a $168 million transition that ended production in Mexico.

Veering away from Cummins engines, the new truck line uses Ford’s 6.7L PowerStroke V-8 diesel engine with a TorqShift 6-speed transmission.

“We are committed to the American market and one-stop shopping,” says John Ruppert, head of Ford commercial truck division. “The new engine has more range, it is more powerful and fuel efficient, and has been continuously improved for a wider rpm range.”

Ford’s shift to domestic assembly secured more than 1,000 United Auto Worker (UAW) hourly jobs to make the commercial-grade vehicles possible.

“This plant means security for my family and community,” says Joy Sharpy, a team leader of body shop assembly for Ford’s Ohio Assembly Plant. “It creates awareness of how important this vehicle is to our economy.”

About the author: Arielle Campanalie is the associate editor for TMV and can be reached at 216.393.0240 or acampanalie@gie.net.