FoMoCo’s Chicago plant to add 1,200 jobs to build 2011 Ford Explorer

According to sources familiar with the matter, FoMoCo will add 1,200 jobs to its Chicago plant for the production of the next-generation Ford Explorer. An official announcement is expected early tomorrow morning.

The move will bring Explorer production fromĀ Louisville, Ky., to the underutilized Chicago plant. It will bring back a second shift to the plant that currently employs about 1,400 workers.

FoMoCo has been retrofitting the plant for months and is spending hundreds of millions of dollars to kick-off Explorer production.

The 2011 Ford Explorer will be based on the Explorer America Concept (pictured above) and is expected to maintain its sharp-edged shape to keep it uniform with the Flex and Edge crossovers. Expect Ford’s EcoBoost engines to be a part for the lineup.

– By: Kap Shah

Source: AutoWeek