Norfolk Assembly

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Norfolk Assembly was a Ford manufacturing plant that opened on April 20, 1925 [1] on the Elizabeth River, near downtown Norfolk, Virginia. Modeled after the River Rouge Plant, the facility eventually including a power house, water treatment plant, barber shop, safety-shoe store, restaurant, fitness center and TV studio.[2] Norfolk Assembly produced models including the Model T, Model A, chassis for school buses,[3] The last model manufactured at the plant was the F150, built until the plants closure in 2007.

Before it closed, the plant employed more than 2,600 people[1] at the 2,800,000-square-foot (260,000 m2) facility.[1] Ford had invested $375 million at the plant in 2002[4] to upgrade it for production of the redesigned eleventh generation 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.[4]

A drawing was held the last week of June 2007, for the last F150 produced, a red 2007 F-150 Lariat,[5] won by Corey Bauswell of Portsmouth, Virginia.[6]

The plant was represented by United Auto Workers Local 919.[5]

History

Plant opening

The Mayor of Norfolk, S. Heth Tyler, drove the first Model T off the Norfolk Assembly line on April 20, 1925.[7] At the time, the plant was the largest non-seafaring-related manufacturing enterprise in Norfolk.[7] During its first year, the plant produced 29,519 automobiles.[7]

The plant closed down Model T production in 1927 to gear up for Model A production. On February 21, 1928, the Norfolk FORD Assembly Plant began its production of the Model A Ford.[8]

In 1942, Ford sold the plant to the federal government for $2 million and it became the Naval Landing Force Equipment Depot. Ford repurchased the plant in 1946 for $400,000 less than the company had sold it for in 1942.[9]

The last vehicle at Norfolk Assembly was produced just after 7 AM on Thursday, June 28, 2007.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "Despite Ford’s troubles, Norfolk plant is likely to keep on truckin'". Jeremiah McWilliams, The Virginian-Pilot© November 11, 2005. 
  2. ↑ "Joy Ride. Ford unions met resistance, brought relief". Virginian-Pilot, March 26, 2007, Bill Burke. 
  3. ↑ "Joy Ride. School bus frames were a staple at Norfolk Ford plant". Virginian-Pilot, March 28, 2007, Bill Burke. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Local Ford plant not on reported closing list". The Virginian Pilot, December 3, 2005. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Ford worker to get last truck off Norfolk's assembly line". Philip Walzer, The Virginian-Pilot© June 6, 2007. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Ford Plant in Norfolk Closes". The Washington Post©, June 28, 2007. June 28, 2007. Retrieved May 20, 2010. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "Joy Ride. Part 1 of 7: Plant Opens in 1925.". Virginian-Pilot, March 25, 2007, Bill Burke. 
  8. ↑ MARC/MAFCA Restoration Guidelines and Judging Standards; Ford News; March 23, 1928 New York Times.
  9. ↑ "Joy Ride. Part 3 of 7: Navy took over Ford plant during war". Virginian-Pilot, March 25, 2007, Bill Burke. 

Coordinates: 36°49′59.44″N 76°14′55.94″W / 36.8331778°N 76.2488722°W / 36.8331778; -76.2488722


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