Norfolk Assembly

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Norfolk Assembly was a manufacturing plant operated by Ford beginning April 20, 1925 [1] and most recently producing the Ford F150 truck. The plant was located on the Elizabeth River, near downtown Norfolk, Virginia, and produced its final truck just after 7AM, the morning of Thursday, June 28, 2007.[2]

Norfolk Assembly produced the Model T, sedans and station wagons[1] before building F-150s. Before it closed, the plant employed more than 2,600 people[1] at the 2.8-million-square-foot facility[1]. Ford had invested $375 million at the plant in 2002[3] to upgrade it for production of the redesigned 2004 F-150.[1]

As of 2004, the plant’s productivity ranked 17th-best among 45 truck assembly plants.[1], producing a truck in 22 hours, 54 minutes – 83 minutes faster than the national average,[1] operating at 109 percent capacity compared with 94 percent in 2003.[1] As late as December 2005, it had appeared that Norfolk Assembly would be spared closing.[3]

A drawing was held the last week of June 2007, for the last F150 produced, a red 2007 F-150 Lariat, [4] won by Corey Bauswell of Portsmouth, Virginia.[2]

The plant was represented by United Auto Workers Local 919.[4]

[edit] History

[edit] Plant opening

The Mayor of Norfolk, S. Heth Tyler drove the first Model T off the Norfolk Assembly line on April 20, 1925[5] At the time, the plant was the largest non-seafaring related manufacturing enterprise in Norfolk.[5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Despite Ford’s troubles, Norfolk plant is likely to keep on truckin'. Jeremiah McWilliams, The Virginian-Pilot© November 11, 2005.
  2. ^ a b Ford Plant in Norfolk Closes. The Washington Post©, June 28, 2007.
  3. ^ a b Local Ford plant not on reported closing list. The Virginian Pilot©, December 3, 2005.
  4. ^ a b Ford worker to get last truck off Norfolk's assembly line. Philip Walzer, The Virginian-Pilot© June 6, 2007.
  5. ^ a b Joy Ride. Part 1 of 7: Plant Opens in 1925.. Virginian-Pilot, March 25, 2007, Bill Burke.



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