Just over 90 years ago, on October 1, 1931, the first Ford vehicle rolled off the production line at Ford Dagenham which was then Ford’s newest ‘state of the art’ global production facility,

Nine decades later – with nearly 11 million cars, trucks and tractors built during 71 years of vehicle production and close to 50 million engines produced to date – Dagenham continues to play a major role in Ford’s European operations, building the advanced technology diesel engines that power many of Ford’s passenger and commercial vehicles.

Kieran Cahill, chairman, Ford Motor Company Limited and vice president, Manufacturing Ford of Europe, speaking at a Ford employee event at Ford Dagenham today.

“Still London’s largest manufacturing site, the fact that Ford Dagenham continues to be such an important part of our European manufacturing operations is testament to our employees’ involvement in the site’s past, present and future.”

Ford Dagenham was confirmed in March of this year as the source of the latest advanced technology diesel engines for the next generation Ford Transit Custom range which will be built by Ford Otosan – Ford’s Turkish joint venture – in Kocaeli, Turkey, from early 2023. The next generation Volkswagen one-tonne commercial vehicle also will be built in Kocaeli as part of the Ford-Volkswagen Alliance.

Martin Everitt, Ford Dagenham plant manager, said: “The anticipated incremental engine volumes this creates is expected to help safeguard jobs at Ford Dagenham. By 2025, we anticipate that up to 60% of our entire diesel engine volume will be destined just for the one-tonne commercial vehicles being built by Ford Otosan.”

It was also announced earlier this year that Ford Dagenham will supply the diesel engine for a new light commercial vehicle to be manufactured at Ford’s Craiova facility in Romania from 2023.

In addition to diesel engine manufacturing, Ford Dagenham is also home to Ford’s Transport Operations which is responsible for the transport logistics of Ford components and vehicles across the UK, and to a number of other functions, including IT.

Jason Brandon, Dagenham Engine Plant convenor, said: “Engines, cars, trucks, tractors and ventilators. What immediately comes to mind when I think of the 90 years anniversary, are the generations of families that have contributed to making this such a fantastic facility and helping us arrive at this milestone. All these people’s contributions over the years has been our true strength in Dagenham.”

“They have proven over and over again, both their versatility and their ability to rise to any challenge and when necessary diversify into other areas of manufacturing. We can do anything in Dagenham and I am sure, notwithstanding the ongoing challenges for the internal combustion engine in the near future, we can secure future Ford opportunities in manufacturing and alternative sectors and give more generations of Ford families the opportunity to work for this great company.“