Philippines to Become Ford's ASEAN Export Hub

MANILA, Philippines, Oct. 14, 2003 -- Ford Motor Company today reaffirmed its commitment to turn the Philippines into a regional export hub for its ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) operations. The company also announced an additional US$50 million investment into its Santa Rosa manufacturing facility. The pledge was made to Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo by Bill Ford, chairman and chief executive officer of Ford Motor Company, at the Malacanang Palace. The visit to the Philippines by the leader of the world's second largest automaker marks a historic first for Ford Philippines.

According to Ford, the US$50 million investment, to be made over the next several years, is driven by the company's aggressive new vehicle programs for the Asian market. Details concerning future product plans will be announced at future dates. The Ford chairman confirmed that the US$50 million investment would include facility upgrade, tooling and engineering costs related to new vehicle programs.

Today's announcement said the increased export capacity out of Ford Philippines would clearly position the Philippines as an important export hub for Ford within ASEAN that would be second only to its Thailand operation. Ford Philippines already holds the distinction of being the nation's sole exporter of completely built-up (CBU) vehicles to its neighboring ASEAN countries. Within the framework of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA), Ford Philippines currently exports the Ford Lynx and Mazda Protege sedans and the Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute SUVs to Thailand and Indonesia.

The Ford Vehicle Export Program first took shape with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Manuel Roxas III and Ford Motor Company in Washington in November 2001. The export program was officially launched in March 2002 with the Ford Lynx. In September 2002, the first Ford Escape bound for export was produced at Santa Rosa in a ceremony attended by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. To date, the program has exported 12,000, a figure that is expected to reach 17,000 units by end of year.

The Ford chairman commented about the Philippine auto industry by saying, "Ford's decision to invest further in the Philippines and boost CBU exports is timely, and well aligned with the Philippine government's Motor Vehicle Development Program (MVDP). I wish to thank President Arroyo for her personal support towards the speedy implementation of new auto policies to address the critical issues identified in the MVDP, including the rationalization of excise tax to value-based structure and the export incentives for CBU exports. I believe a clear commitment from the governing leadership towards progressive policy reforms is vital to the survival of the auto industry and provides a sustainable business environment for automotive investors."

"More important," the chairman continued, "the increased production at Santa Rosa will benefit the people of the Philippines by creating new job opportunities, not only with Ford, but also from our parts and components suppliers. Our current production at Santa Rosa is about 15,000, which falls short of the optimum capacity at 40,000 units a year. The introduction of new vehicle programs and the additional volume from exports are critical to boost production to optimum capacity. These actions are expected double our labor force to almost 1,250 from our present 650 workers."

In addition, Ford will be sourcing more parts and components for its vehicles from local suppliers, which will contribute to the growth of the parts and components sector. Over time, these actions will mean more jobs for Filipinos.

Earlier in the day, the Ford chairman visited the Santa Rosa plant to meet with employees and dealers. He also launched Ford Philippines' three new products: the Ford Everest, Ford Lynx RS 2.0L and the Ford Escape 3.0L.

The Ford Everest is the latest 7-seater SUV to join Ford's global SUV line-up. Making its debut at the Centennial Motor Show in June, the Everest has already chalked up over 400 pre-bookings.

The Ford Lynx RS 2.0L is the racing series variant of the Ford Lynx that will be introduced by mid-October. This first-to-market Lynx RS offers new and distinct racing features that put passion back into the driving experience.

The Ford 3.0L Escape is equipped with a Duratec V6 engine beating other compact sized SUVs with its best-in-class engine power and towing capacity. It is the only compact SUV that comes with a moon roof and is expected to become available in October.

At the launch ceremony, Ford announced, "I am proud to be launching not one, but three, new products for the Philippines. These products represent Ford's commitment to building the best cars and trucks. Each has a unique personality that caters to the diverse needs and lifestyles of our customers who seek quality, value and individuality in their choice of vehicles."

He added, "In my visit to Thailand earlier this week, and now the Philippines, I have been struck by the energy, enthusiasm and dynamism demonstrated by all the young employees I have met. I believe the future of Ford in Asia will be dependent on this new generation of bright young talent. And this belief is core to our people development strategy, aimed at providing equal opportunities, promoting diversity and developing local nationals for senior leadership roles."

Ford Philippines currently assembles both Ford and Mazda products at its assembly plant in Santa Rosa, Laguna. The plant, which began operations in September 1999, covers 30,000 square meters and has achieved both ISO 9002 and ISO 14001 certification.

Ford Motor Company is the world's second-largest automaker, with approximately 335,000 employees in 200 markets on six continents. Its automotive brands include Aston Martin, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercury and Volvo. Its automotive related services include Ford Financial, Quality Care and Hertz. With world headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, Ford Motor Company officially observed its 100th anniversary on June 16, 2003.