“Ford Adding Shifts At Two Auto Plants - StreetInsider.com” plus 4 more

Ford Adding Shifts At Two Auto Plants - StreetInsider.com
Ford Adds Shifts at Two U.S. Truck Plants - ABC News
Insight Network Transportation Launches ShipCarsNow.com, Unveils New ... - WebWire
Oshkosh Gets Tacticle Vehicle Order From U.S. Army Under FMTV Rebuy ... - RTT News
Shares of Oshkosh jump on defense unit contract - Forbes

Ford Adding Shifts At Two Auto Plants - StreetInsider.com

Posted: 27 Aug 2009 07:52 AM PDT

August 27, 2009 10:55 AM EDT

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) announced it is adding third production shifts at its Dearborn Truck Plant and Kansas City Assembly Plant's sport utility line to help meet strong demand for Ford F-150 pickups and Escape utility vehicles.

In August, Ford expects to post its first monthly year-over-year sales increase for F-Series trucks since October 2006, as well as another record-setting sales month for Escape.

"Even with 'Cash for Clunkers' behind us, we expect that demand for our fuel-efficient, high quality new vehicles will remain strong," said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service. "We had a solid July sales month, and we are headed toward an even stronger August. We're being as creative as we can in pushing the system to meet the demand for our products."

To meet demand, the operating pattern changes announced at Dearborn Truck Plant will result in the additional production of approximately 10,000 F-150 pickups this year and full-time employment for 2,800 employees who had been working on a two-weeks-on, one-week-off rotating basis since April. The changes at Dearborn Truck will go into effect in late September.

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Ford Adds Shifts at Two U.S. Truck Plants - ABC News

Posted: 27 Aug 2009 08:35 AM PDT

DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co said on Thursday it is adding shifts at its truck plants in Michigan and Missouri in response to increased demand for its F-150 pickup trucks and Escape SUVs.

Ford's Dearborn, Michigan, truck plant will return to a three-shift operation in September from two shifts, a move that will boost production of F-150 pickup trucks by about 10,000 this year, the company said.

Ford is also adding a third shift at its Kansas City assembly plant in Missouri in October, which will increase production of Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner SUVs by 2,400 by the end of October.

The actions are part of the automaker's plans announced earlier this month to raise production for the third and fourth quarters after strong sales spurred by the U.S. government's "Cash-for-Clunkers" incentives.

Ford has set third-quarter North American production at 495,000 vehicles, an addition of 10,000 from prior plans. It plans to produce 570,000 vehicles in the fourth quarter, up 33 percent from a year earlier.

The Escape SUV and the Focus sedan were among the top 10 vehicles sold under the "Clunkers" program, while the small Ford Focus sedan ranked third.

Ken Czubay, Ford vice president of marketing and sales, said the company's August sales are forecast to top its July results -- which represented its best sales month of 2009.

U.S. auto sales rose to their highest level of 2009 in July and analysts have forecast stronger sales for August as consumers rushed to take advantage of the "Clunkers" rebates, which offered up to $4,500 to people who traded in old gas guzzlers for new vehicles.

(Reporting by Soyoung Kim, editing by Gerald E. McCormick)

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Insight Network Transportation Launches ShipCarsNow.com, Unveils New ... - WebWire

Posted: 27 Aug 2009 07:45 AM PDT

Auburn Hills, Mich. Insight Network Transportation has launched a new suite of services for auto traders at its new Web site, www.ShipCarsNow.com. The Web site address reflects the companys new name, ShipCarsNow.

"Commercial auto traders now know whom to call when they have used cars to move" said Jeff Grandstaff, general manager, ShipCarsNow, a part of Union Pacific Corporation. "Our new Web site reflects our updated brand. ShipCarsNow.com integrates rail and truck transport, providing our customers more options. The economics and value of rail means auto traders can buy and sell cars over longer distances and still maintain strong profit margins"

ShipCarsNow.com is an easy-to-use online tool that gives businesses the ability to ship cars seamlessly, using rail and/or truck transportation. Customers now have the flexibility to use the shipping mode that best meets their price and timing requirements.

Registered customers can get an instant price quote for shipping cars door-to-door anywhere in the U.S., complete with estimated transit time. Users can immediately turn their quote into an order and track their shipment for current status and estimated time of arrival.

Nearly 20,000 U.S. auto dealers already receive new vehicle shipments from manufacturers by an efficient intermodal rail and truck network. Until now, this network has not been readily available to used car shippers. ShipCarsNow was formed by Union Pacific to open up this robust transportation network to the remarketing and fleet industries. Using ShipCarsNow.com, businesses can effectively manage their fleet assets, and auto remarketers can extend their trading range.

"Rail is one of the most environmentally friendly modes of freight transportation and we are pleased to make rail transportation accessible and easy to use through ShipCarsNow.com" said Julie Krehbiel, vice president and general manager, automotive, Union Pacific Railroad.

"Affordable rail service brings the additional capacity and market coverage needed to truly expand used car trading on the Internet, domestically and internationally"

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Oshkosh Gets Tacticle Vehicle Order From U.S. Army Under FMTV Rebuy ... - RTT News

Posted: 27 Aug 2009 07:59 AM PDT

(RTTNews) - Thursday, military trucks and vehicle bodies manufacturer Oshkosh Corporation (OSK: News ) said its military division, Oshkosh Defense, has received a contract from the U.S. Army to produce and service vehicles and trailers under the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles, or FMTV, rebuy program.

The FMTV rebuy program is a five-year, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract award for the production of up to 23 thousand vehicles and trailers as well as support services and engineering. The FMTV is a series of up to 23 variant vehicles and 17 different models ranging from 2.5 ton to 5 ton payloads.

The contract's first delivery order is valued at $280.9 million for the production and delivery of 2,568 trucks and trailers. Initial test vehicle deliveries are planned for mid-2010, followed by production vehicle deliveries later in the year, said the Oshkosh, Wisconsin-based company.

Robert Bohn, chairman and chief executive officer, said, "We feel privileged that the U.S. Army has selected Oshkosh to produce the FMTV, an important element to the Warfighter's tactical vehicle fleet."

It was on May 27, 2009 Oshkosh Defense submitted its proposal for FMTV rebuy program to the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command Life Cycle Management Command. At that time, Oshkosh's vice president and president, Defense, Andy Hove said, "Oshkosh is confident that we have given the U.S. Army a credible, competitive and low-risk proposal for the FMTV program."

OSK is currently trading at $30.96, up 12.38%, on the NYSE.

by RTT Staff Writer

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Shares of Oshkosh jump on defense unit contract - Forbes

Posted: 27 Aug 2009 08:21 AM PDT

OSHKOSH, Wis. -- Shares of vehicle maker Oshkosh Corp. leaped Thursday after its defense unit said it was awarded a five-year contract by the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command Life Cycle Management Command to engineer and build tactical vehicles.

The contract's first delivery order is valued at $280.9 million for the production and delivery of 2,568 trucks and trailers.

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The contract calls for the total production of up to 23,000 vehicles and trailers as well as support services and engineering. The Army's family of medium tactical vehicles is a series of up to 23 vehicles and 17 different models.

Initial test vehicle deliveries are planned for mid-2010, followed by production vehicle deliveries later in the year.

Oshkosh shares surged $4.16, or 15.1 percent, to $31.72 in morning trading.