CRAIOVA PLANT TO PLAY A STRONG ROLE IN FORD’S ELECTRIFICATION PLANS: GUVEN

Ford Otosan’s acquisition of Ford’s Craiova factory in Romania was first announced in March 2022 at its agreement stage. The EUR 575m purchase was completed in July, when Ford Otosan announced a three-year EUR 490m investment plan for the new Transit Courier, which was launched in Istanbul on April 6, 2023.

Ford Otosan’s production experience has moved to an international dimension, with Craiova being an important part of the production facilities network, Ford Otosan General Manager Guven Ozyurt said in a statement made to Public Disclosure Platform (KAP) in July 2022. “Electrification represents the most transformative change in our industry for over 100 years, and Europe, our important export market, is making rapid progress in electrification. Considering Ford’s recently announced European electrification plan and Ford Otosan’s extensive experience and knowledge in electrification, which started with the Custom PHEV and continued with the E-Transit, we believe that the Craiova plant will play a strong role in Ford’s plans for electrification and commercial vehicle growth. Our Craiova factory will benefit from Ford Otosan’s extensive experience and know-how in commercial vehicle design, engineering, and production. We look forward to adding new and even more exciting chapters to the success story of Craiova, one of the most productive Ford factories in Europe today,” Ozyurt said. The production of the new generation Transit Courier will increase to 100,000 units per year, while the production of Puma will increase to 189,000 units per year at the Craiova factory, according to the company’s statement. The total annual production at Ford Otosan Kocaeli and Craiova plants is expected to increase to 900,000 in the coming years.