Ford Motor Co. (F) has opened its revamped plant in Wayne, Michigan after spending $550 million on its retooling. The plant is well equipped with flexible manufacturing and environmentally friendly practices as well as a highly trained work force. It will produce new electric Focus and other gasoline-powered, battery electric, hybrid electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

 

With flexible manufacturing system, workers can build multiple models on one or more platforms in the same facility. The plant also features largest solar-powered generation systems and electric vehicle charging stations.

 

The plant is one of 11 facilities owned by Ford in the U.S., which is participating in the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program initiated by Congress and implemented by Obama administration. The green loan program also included other automakers including Nissan Motor (NSANY), Tesla and Fisker.

 

Production of the new Focus is scheduled to start in late 2011. It will be followed by production of the new C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid in 2012.

 

The existing Focus has attracted the attention of U.S. consumers as one of the most fuel-efficient car of the company. In 2010, sales of the popular small sedan went up 7.5% to 172,421 units.

 

Ford, a Zacks #4 Rank (Sell) stock, posted a 24% fall in profit to $1.2 billion or 30 cents per share (before special items) in the fourth quarter of 2010 from $1.58 billion or 43 cents per share (before special items) in the same quarter of 2009. With this, the automaker has missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 19 cents per share.

 
The automaker generated revenues of $36.9 billion during the quarter, which was higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $34.9 billion. Unit sales escalated 11% to 2,173 vehicles from 1,952 vehicles in the fourth quarter of 2009. The automaker occupied a market share of 11.5% during the quarter, up from 11.4% in the year-ago quarter.

 
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