COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jon Husted, and JobsOhio joined representatives from the Ford Motor Company on Thursday to announce that Ford is investing $1.5 billion into Lorain County at the Ford Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake to assemble an all-new commercial electric vehicle (EV). This investment will create 1,800 new hourly jobs.
“The ingenuity and talent of Ohio’s automotive workforce are second to none, and Ford’s investment in Avon Lake will play an essential role in growing the EV space,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. “Ford has been a partner in Ohio for generations, and its confidence in the Ford Ohio Assembly Plant operations secures EV operations in Lorain County that will be critical for decades to come.”
In addition to the 1,800 new jobs to make the new commercial EV at the Ford Ohio Assembly Plant, the expanded facility will continue producing Ford’s E-series van, medium-duty trucks and Super Duty chassis cabs. Ford also announced an additional 90 jobs and a $100 million investment between its Lima Engine Plant and Sharonville Transmission plants.
“There are many wonderful aspects to a day like today, but the special news for Northeast Ohio is that there will be 1,800 new, good-paying jobs with health care benefits and the higher quality of life and job security that comes along with it,” said Lt. Governor Husted. “Governor DeWine and I are glad Ford chose Ohio to help manufacture this EV vehicle, continuing the region’s extensive legacy in automotive innovation.”
Construction on Ford’s Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake is expected to begin later this year; assembly on the commercial electric vehicle is expected to begin in mid-decade.
“Ohio is one of the world’s great automotive hubs and a key manufacturing state that has been central to Ford since we first opened Ohio Assembly Plant in 1958,” said Kumar Galhotra, president, Ford Blue. “Ford is proud to assemble more vehicles and employ more union autoworkers in the U.S. than any other auto manufacturer, and our commitment to the state of Ohio deepens today with the creation of 1,800 union jobs and $1.5 billion investment to build an all-new commercial EV at Ohio Assembly Plant.”
The Ford Motor Company, DeWine-Husted Administration, the Ohio Department of Development, the City of Avon Lake, Lorain County, state and local elected officials, and Ohio’s Congressional delegation all collaborated with JobsOhio to bring the project to Avon Lake. JobsOhio, the state’s private nonprofit economic development corporation, has placed significant focus on supporting the automotive supply chain as original equipment manufacturers have begun to place a major focus on electric vehicle production.
“The Avon Lake facility represents the automotive heritage of Ohio and our world-class labor workforce and also our shared commitment with Ford to advancing innovation as we transition – together – to the EV space for future production,” said J.P. Nauseef, JobsOhio president and CEO. “As manufacturing continues to evolve in Lorain County, JobsOhio and our partners are committed to protecting and growing Ohio’s automotive industry by positioning the state as a global EV leader.”
Ford operates facilities in Avon Lake, Brook Park, Lima, and Sharonville and has more than 7,000 employees in the state.
“A dozen years ago, plenty of politicians wrote off the American auto industry. We have proved them wrong every day since, and today Ohio represents the future of the global auto industry. Ford’s decision to produce its next generation of commercial electric vehicles in Ohio and bring more jobs to Lorain County is a testament to the strength of our state’s manufacturing sector and the talent of Ohio’s workers,” said U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown. “This investment will boost our state’s economy by adding 1,800 union jobs to northeast Ohio, proving that you should always bet on the American worker and the quality of our products.”
“This represents a significant investment in Ohio and UAW members. Senator Brown deserves credit for today’s announcement as his unwavering commitment to Ohio’s working families helped make this investment a reality,” said UAW President, Ray Curry. “We always advocate to companies that UAW members contribute skill, quality and experience. Ford has recognized that by putting the new EV commercial vehicle at Ohio Assembly Plant.”
Brown has long advocated for the American Auto Industry and for expansion of car manufacturing plants in Ohio that create jobs and benefit Ohio workers. In 2018, Brown introduced the American Cars, American Jobs Act which would benefit Ohio companies and workers throughout the auto supply chain. The legislation would put U.S.-made cars on equal footing with foreign-made vehicles and update the tax code to remove incentives for auto companies to offshore jobs.
Brown has long pushed for Congress to pass legislation that would boost American production and help U.S. manufacturers compete with global competitors. Brown was recently appointed to serve as a conferee on the committee that will reconcile the differences between the Senate’s U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (USICA) and the House’s America Creating Opportunities for Manufacturing, Pre-Eminence in Technology and Economic Strength (COMPETES) Act of 2022.
Last June, the Senate passed the United States Innovation and Competition Act of 2021 (USICA), which invests in American workers and our nation’s long-term competitiveness by shoring up critical industries like semiconductors, which are facing a global shortage. In February, the House of Representatives passed the America Creating Opportunities for Manufacturing, Pre-Eminence in Technology and Economic Strength (COMPETES) Act of 2022, the House version of USICA.
Brown has been pushing for action to support American semiconductor production, which is key to supporting investments in Ohio’s auto manufacturing. In January, Intel announced a $20 billion investment to build a semiconductor plant in New Albany, which is expected to create 10,000 jobs. The USICA will boost Intel’s initial investment to create thousands of additional jobs in Ohio.
“Today’s investment by Ford in Avon Lake is a testament to the world-class workforce in Lorain County and Northeast Ohio,” said State Senator Nathan Manning. “I’m proud to have supported the Megaproject legislation that will help Ohio win life-changing investments like this one. This is a perfect example of the success that is possible when JobsOhio, the State of Ohio, and our regional and local partners work together as one team.”
To support the expansion of the Ford Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake, the Ohio Tax Credit Authority will consider a tax credit at a future meeting, and JobsOhio also plans to provide grant assistance.
Ohio’s commitment to innovation makes it a natural fit for the thriving electric vehicle supply chain and electric vehicle manufacturing opportunities. Ohio’s vast history in the automotive industry and automotive supply chain, as well as its overall proximity to resources, manufacturers, and end markets, put the state in a prime position for future electric vehicle production.