Kucinich: New Beginning for Cleveland and the Ford Motor Company

Kucinich: New Beginning for Cleveland and the Ford Motor Company | Press Release

~Chip's note: Ford Motor Company refused government bailout funds.

Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today released the following statement after the Ford Motor Company announced that the Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1 will resume production and become the first Ford manufacturing site in the world to produce EcoBoost engines:

“This is a new beginning for Cleveland and the Ford Motor Company. I thank Ford management and the members of the United Auto Workers who have made this possible.

"This new project will help to reestablish Cleveland as a world center for automotive high tech and for the jobs of tomorrow. Once again, Cleveland has proven that we have the trained workforce, the infrastructure and the facilities to compete with anyone in the world.

"Because I understood that the workers in Cleveland have the knowledge and capability to handle such a project, I have encouraged this kind of production as a priority. In discussions with the Chief Executive Officer of Ford, Mr. Bill Ford, I have repeatedly stressed Cleveland’s attractiveness and capacity for new investment. In a September 16 letter, I offered suggestions for how to transition the Brook Park facility in the short term to keep jobs and the long term to create the vehicles of tomorrow.

"Cleveland has always been poised to play a pivotal role in the development of green technologies, and I am pleased that the Ford Motor Company has seen it fit to build their EcoBoost engines here.

"It was just a few months ago that Cleveland was able to win new jobs with the Defense Finance and Accounting Service. These recent developments demonstrate that out city and our community has tremendous potential because of the resilience of our people and the attractiveness of our location. We need to press forward to secure even more opportunities in manufacturing, energy, high tech, space engineering and services so that Cleveland will become not only the flagship for Ford, but for America.

"Let’s continue to urge the purchase of American made, and union made, automotive products.”

Ford’s EcoBoost engine technology combines direct injection and turbo-charging.