Ford to Invest $1.2 Billion in Three Factories in Michigan

Ford Motor Co. is spending $1.2 billion in Michigan to retool an assembly plant, expand an engine components factory and add a data center dedicated to mobility services.

Some $850 million of the total will be to retool the company’s Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne to build Ford’s Ranger midsize pickup truck at the end of 2018 and all-new midsize Bronco SUV in 2020. The project, which the company announced in January and has since expanded, will begin in May.

Another $150 million will go to add capacity for those two models and others at Ford’s engine plant in Romeo, Mich. The facility makes engines for F-Series pickup trucks and high-performance Mustang sport coupes. Ford says the factory will add capacity to make components for an all-new engine.

Finally, Ford plans to spend $200 million to build an advanced data center at its assembly plant in Flat Rock to support the carmaker’s plan to add multiple mobility-related products and services. Ford said in January it will invest another $700 million to prepare the Flat Rock complex to make electric and self-driving vehicles.

The company says its new business interests will help multiply its data storage processing and storage needs by 1,000% and 1,500%, respectively.