Australian New Top Man at Ford UK Transit Plant - OI

BRENTWOOD, Essex, 15 July 2005 – Trevor Negus, currently plant manager at the Ford Motor Company of Australia Broadmeadows car assembly plant in Melbourne, has been appointed plant manager at the company's Transit van assembly facility in Southampton.

Australian-born Trevor (43) will take up his new appointment next month when he moves to the south coast of England with his wife Sharon and three small children.

Trevor joined Ford in Australia as a graduate trainee in 1987, working in the purchasing organisation before moving into Broadmeadows vehicle assembly operations. There he held a number of assignments including area manager engine and chassis and plant manager stamping operations before his appointment as plant manager vehicle assembly in April 2001.

"I am absolutely delighted to be coming to the Southampton plant," said Trevor. "My wife and I look forward to living in what is a very beautiful part of the United Kingdom."

Opened in 1953, the Ford Southampton plant – commonly known as the 'Home of the Transit' - covers 52 acres and employs 1,440 people. In 2004, Transit production at the plant leapt by more than 30 per cent, to 70,674 units. Around 50 per cent of the plant's output is exported to a number of countries, including Australia.

The Ford Transit has dominated the UK commercial vehicle sales charts for 39 years – every full year it has been on sale. This year the Transit celebrates its 40 th anniversary and Southampton Plant employees are playing a major part in these celebrations, including featuring in a recent Transit television commercial.