Ford Motor Company Ltd

Company Name

Established in Basildon

1967

Sectors the company operates in

Automotive Research and Development.

Description of what the company does & 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.

The Dunton site includes all the aspects of vehicle and engine development including Manufacturing, Purchasing, Finance, IT, Sales and Marketing.

Recent notable achievements include:

Dunton celebrated 50 years of operation on the Basildon site in 2017
Ford Transit Connect won International Van of the Year in 2014 following the Basildon engineering Transit Custom in 2013
1.0 Ecoboost engine was outright winner of the International Engine of the Year in 2012 and was sub 1.0 Litre winner for 6 years running

Size of company (number of employees)

4,500 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.

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