Basildon for business case study - Ford Motor Company Ltd

Ford Motor Company Ltd.

Established in Basildon

Established in Basildon since 1967.

Sectors the company operates in

Automotive Research and Development.

Description of what the company does and notable achievements

Ford Dunton in Basildon is a global centre for the company's engine, transmission and commercial vehicle engineering and development. Engine engineering and development is carried out in conjunction with the nearby Dagenham Diesel Centre. It is responsible for developing the latest, highly-acclaimed, low-carbon Ford powertrains and the latest versions of the iconic Ford Transit.

Recent notable achievements include:

• Ford's 1-litre, three cylinder EcoBoost engine won the International Engine of the Year Award in 2012 and 2013 thanks to technology developed by Dunton and Dagenham based engineers
• New Ford Transit Custom, engineered in Basildon, won the 2013 'International Van of the Year' Award.

Size of company (number of employees)

3,500 in Dunton Technical Centre.

Experience of doing business in Basildon

We have very specific requirements for engineers, and while many of the skills are available locally, for some specialisations it is necessary to relocate people from around the UK. Essex's quality of life generally proves an attractive proposition for these people.

We recognise the value of the Thames Gateway investment. The Basildon base is important for Ford's manufacturing and distribution strategy and with its road links, nearby deep water jetty and train spur, Basildon has plenty of transport options for us to reach our other UK plants. This includes movement to and from our European and international sites via the River Thames, Channel Tunnel, motorways and rail links.

Graham Hoare - Head of the Ford Technical Centre, Dunton, Basildon.

Visit website: Ford Motor Company UK (opens new window).