Ford Oz to double design staff

Ford's Australian-based Asia Pacific product development will soon expand its already unprecedented workload involving regional and global vehicle programs, in stark contrast to its shrinking local manufacturing presence.

Ford will be the next car-maker to cease manufacturing in Australia, by October 2016, followed by Toyota and Holden in 2017. It currently employs only around 800 blue-collar workers at its Broadmeadows assembly plant and Geelong engine facility, following the axing of almost 200 more factory staff in June, and since February has built just 83 Falcon and Territory vehicles a day.

At the same time, however, Ford is actively recruiting sales and marketing staff in preparation for a slew of new models next year, including a new Mondeo in the first half, the all-new Everest and facelifted Ranger mid-year, and the all-new Mustang and facelifted Focus and Focus ST in the second half.

Before then, a final facelift for the homegrown Falcon and Territory will be released in November, before being discontinued forever just two years later, by which time Ford Australia will have updated its entire model range.

Ford also claims it will be Australia's largest automotive employ by 2017, following the shutdown of Toyota and GM Holden plants that year, and its expanded role as the lead division within Ford's Asia Pacific product development (PD) team.

Ford Asia Pacific has about 3000 product development staff, including 1100 in Australia – spread across its Melbourne design studio, Geelong R&D centre and You Yangs proving ground – already making it Australia's largest vehicle development outfit.

Working across multiple countries, languages and five time zones, Ford Australia is the only 'mature' member of Ford's Asia Pacific PD team, which also has bases at Nanjing in China and Chennai in India, and Ford Asia Pacific is just one of three PD groups in the Ford world, alongside Dearborn in North America and Cologne in Europe. Ford's You Yangs proving ground is also one of just four of its type globally.

Along with being one of just three Ford sites with full concept-to-signoff capability -- the ability to produce complete vehicles from sketch form -- Ford's Melbourne design studio also houses the only Ford immersive Virtual Environment (FiVE) lab outside Michigan, and the only fully immersive computer-aided engineering studio in Australia.

Using cutting-edge motion tracking software, a head-mounted display and 4K-resolution 84-inch video screen, the recently upgraded FiVE lab allows designers to view their virtual designs from all angles, inside and out, at an accuracy of up to five microns (0.005mm) before the first prototype is built, offering an unrivalled insight into vehicle ergonomics, visibility, materials quality, build quality, part geometry, assembly feasibility, metal deformation, packaging and aerodynamics – and to beam the action in real-time to/from Detroit.

To highlight these developments and provide unprecedented media access to its expanded FiVE lab, Ford Australia last week hosted an 'Innovation for Millions' event, where a Ford source told motoring.com.au that it will soon double the size of its 100-strong design team at Broadmeadows.

Although many are employed on a contract basis in line with project workloads, it's the same basic team responsible for producing the Ranger ute now sold in more than 180 countries, and the seven-seat SUV that shares its T6 platform, next year's all-new Everest.

The first product of Australia's role within Ford's global vehicle development process was revealed just five years ago in 2009, when the previous Fiesta-based Figo hatch was announced for India, but since then the Broadmeadows-led Asia Pacific PD team has produced a Thai version of the Focus, the Focus-based Escort sedan for China and the Ranger and Everest.

Of course, these are just the products that have been officially announced and Ford will not divulge what it is being developed for global or regional markets.

Currently, however, at least seven vehicle programs are known to be underway simultaneously in Australia, including the Falcon, Territory, Everest, Ranger facelift and Escort, plus calibration work for Ford of Europe's latest Transit van and a large car that could replace Ford's US Taurus.

Given that all these vehicles are being designed and engineered in Australia with existing staff levels, it is logical to assume Ford's Australian R&D team will soon be responsible for developing at least as many future models.

"Some of the best Australian Fords have taken shape right here in this studio," said Ford Australia President and CEO Bob Graziano at Broadmeadows last Thursday.

"We don't often invite media inside this facility or the others that you'll visit in the Innovation for Millions event today. This really is an exclusive opportunity to experience a true behind-the-scenes look at what we're doing here at Ford.

"In addition to the vehicles and technologies you'll experience, I hope you'll also come away with an understanding of the breadth and depth of investment, skills and facilities that we have right here in Australia as we continue to develop vehicles right here for the world.

"Australia is a centre of excellence in the Asia Pacific region for Ford product development and design. We're very proud of what our team does, not only for Australia but our Asia Pacific and global partners.

"As a global company, Ford designs vehicles for our world markets and Australia will continue to play a big role in Ford's global future, creating vehicles that customers want and value."

Ford’s new Asia-Pacific design director, Todd Willing, was unwilling to confirm numbers, but said Ford's Australian design team was about to enter an unprecedented period of growth.

"The team is in the process of ramping up in order to handle the incoming program workload that's coming our way and we're very excited about what the future brings for the team here," he said.

"With the emergence of the markets in the region we've become a critical talent pool for the design organisation globally."

Willing became design director only last month after growing up in Hobart and, most recently, working on advanced Ford concepts in the US. In between, he spent time in Cologne, led the design of China's Escort, worked on the Focus and Mondeo, and designed the 2011 Territory facelift.

He said Australia has also been a breeding ground for senior Ford executives, some of who continue to be friends in high places for Ford Australia, such as Australian Trevor Worthington, who is Ford's China-based Asia Pacific product development boss but previously held the same position at Ford Australia.

A number of former Ford Asia Pacific design chiefs now also hold senior design roles within the Ford Motor Company, including Scott Strong, Chris Svensson and Joel Piaskowski.

"Australia plays a vital role in the Ford development organisation," he said. "We are the centre of excellence for the Asia Pacific region, including the largest market on the globe.

"We are one of three main production design studios in the Ford design organisation... reporting directly to design vice-president Moray Callum.

"A couple of the previous [Ford Asia Pacific design][ directors that have come through here are now in key positions... so it really does show the importance of our market and region in terms of Ford."