Flat Rock Assembly Plant Explained

Flat Rock Assembly Plant
Classification:Factory
Address:1 International Drive
Location City:Flat Rock, Michigan
Location Country:United States
Opened Date:January 1972
Destruction Date:-->
Owner:Ford Motor Company
Unit Count:-->

The Flat Rock Assembly Plant is a Ford Motor Company automobile assembly plant located at 1 International Drive in Flat Rock, Michigan, within Metro Detroit. The facility covers 2,900,000 square feet (270,000 m²) of production space and employs approximately 3,510 hourly workers and 140 salaried workers. It currently manufactures the Ford Mustang.

The plant was originally built by Ford as the Michigan Casting Center in 1972, but it closed in 1981. In 1987, Mazda took over the site and established its first U.S. manufacturing facility, Mazda Motor Manufacturing USA . In 1992, Ford purchased a stake in the plant, and it was reorganized as the joint venture AutoAlliance International.[1] Mazda ended production there in 2012, after which the facility returned to full Ford ownership.[2]

History

Michigan Casting Center (1972–1981)

The Michigan Casting Center (MCC) opened in January 1972 following three years of construction and Ford's largest single capital investment at the time. It was considered one of the most technologically advanced casting facilities in the world.[3] Despite the investment, the facility was plagued by labor disputes, workplace injuries,[4] and declining demand for the V8 engine blocks it produced. Ford closed the plant in 1981.[5] [6]

On January 25, 1979, a worker, Robert Williams, was killed by an industrial robot arm. He was the first known person to be killed by a robot.[7]

Mazda Motor Manufacturing USA (1987–1992)

In 1985, Mazda began constructing a new assembly plant on the site of the former MCC. Production at Mazda Motor Manufacturing USA (MMUSA) began in September 1987 with the Mazda MX-6 and Ford Probe coupes.[8] By 1991, the plant employed about 3,600 workers, including 250 Japanese employees.[9]

AutoAlliance International (1992–2012)

On April 15, 1992, Ford repurchased a 50% stake in the facility, creating a joint venture with Mazda. The plant was renamed AutoAlliance International on July 1, 1992.[10] The factory began producing all U.S. models of the Mazda 626 in 1993. The Mercury Cougar (1998–2002) and the North American Mazda6 (2003–2012) were also assembled there. Ford Mustang production was added in 2005.

During this period, Deepak Ahuja served as Chief Financial Officer of the joint venture.[11]

The last Mazda6 rolled off the line on August 24, 2012, ending Mazda production in the United States and concluding the 20-year joint venture. Mazda shifted Mazda6 production back to its Hofu factory in Japan and opened a new factory in Salamanca, Mexico.[12]

Flat Rock Assembly Plant (since 2012)

On September 10, 2012, Ford assumed full control of the facility, renaming it the Flat Rock Assembly Plant. The company spent $555 million to retool the plant for production of the 2013 Ford Fusion.[13]

In July 2015, Ford confirmed that the 2017 Lincoln Continental would be built at Flat Rock starting in 2016.[14] In January 2017, Ford announced plans to build an electric SUV by 2020 and an autonomous vehicle for commercial ride-hailing by 2021, both to be produced at the facility.[15]

Declining sales of the Mustang and especially the Continental led Ford to cut the plant’s output from two shifts to one in late 2018.[16] More than 1,000 workers were laid off in early 2019, including nearly 500 temporary employees.[17] [18]

In March 2019, Ford revised its plans, delaying production of a battery-electric vehicle at Flat Rock.[19]

Products

Current

Past

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: AutoAlliance International, Inc. . August 28, 2025.
  2. News: Ohnsman . Alan . August 24, 2012 . Mazda Ends 20-Year U.S. Manufacturing Run . August 28, 2025 . Bloomberg.
  3. Web site: January 20, 1972 . Ford Opens a Giant Casting Centre . April 11, 2013 . Schenectady Gazette.
  4. Web site: November 1, 1973 . Detroit plant . April 11, 2013 . Windsor Star.
  5. Web site: September 15, 1981 . Ford Will Close Unit in Flat Rock . April 11, 2013 . The New York Times.
  6. Web site: December 3, 1984 . Flat Rock Mayor Hopeful . April 11, 2013 . The Argus-Press.
  7. News: August 11, 1983 . $10 Million Awarded To Family Of U.S. Plant Worker Killed By Robot . June 8, 2018 . Ottawa Citizen . 14.
  8. Web site: Manji . James F. . June 1, 1988 . Building cars with Mazda quality. (Mazda Motor Manufacturing USA Corp.) . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131210021509/http://business.highbeam.com/438319/article-1G1-6458174/building-cars-mazda-quality . December 10, 2013 . April 11, 2013 . Automation . Penton Business Media, Inc..
  9. Cohen, Sharon. "Metamorphosis in Motown." Associated Press at The Ledger. December 26, 1991. p. 7C. Retrieved from Google News on November 19, 2013.
  10. Web site: July 23, 2008 . North American All-New Mazda6 Production Begins at AutoAlliance International . April 11, 2013 . Mazda.
  11. Star . Leanne . November 11, 2011 . Alumni profile: Deepak Ahuja . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160902230003/http://www.mccormick.northwestern.edu/magazine//fall-2011/PDF/alumni-profile-deepak-ahuja.pdf . September 2, 2016 . September 18, 2018 . McCormick Magazine . 42 . Fall 2011.
  12. Web site: Apostolides . Zoe . 2014-02-26 . Mazda officially opens Salamanca plant in Mexico . 2025-08-28 . Automotive Logistics . en-GB.
  13. Web site: Ford Opens New Era at Flat Rock Assembly Plant, Source of 1,200 New Jobs and U.S. Production Home of All-New Fusion . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121112164832/http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=37067 . November 12, 2012 . November 25, 2012.
  14. Web site: July 15, 2015 . Lincoln Continental to be made at Ford Flat Rock plant .
  15. Web site: Ford Adding Electrified F-150, Mustang, Transit by 2020 in Major EV Push; Expanded U.S. Plant to Add 700 Jobs to Make EVs, Autonomous Cars . Ford Media Center.
  16. Web site: Willems . Steph . November 28, 2018 . Ford Cuts Factory Shifts, Comes Out Looking Like the Golden Child . October 5, 2019 . The Truth About Cars.
  17. News: Howard . Phoebe Wall . February 5, 2019 . Flat Rock shift cut leaves more than 400 Ford workers in jeopardy . October 5, 2019 . Detroit Free Press.
  18. News: Laing . Keith . February 4, 2019 . Ford: Flat Rock workers to be offered job transfers . October 5, 2019 . The Detroit News.
  19. News: Thibodeau . Ian . Ford Flat Rock plant shifts to electric vehicles, Mustang . October 5, 2019 . The Detroit News.
  20. Web site: Henkel. Karl. April 9, 2013. Ford begins hiring 1,400 for Flat Rock plant. April 11, 2013. Detroit News.
  21. News: New Lincoln Continental will be Michigan made. USA Today. July 15, 2015. July 16, 2015.
  22. Web site: Ford Opens New Era at Flat Rock Assembly Plant, Source of 1,200 New Jobs and U.S. Production Home of All-New Fusion | Ford Motor Company Newsroom . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121112164832/http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=37067 . November 12, 2012 . November 25, 2012.
  23. Web site: Pope. Byron. September 10, 2012. Ford Expects Fusion Output to Exceed Mazda6 at Flat Rock. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130902094456/http://wardsauto.com/auto-makers/ford-expects-fusion-output-exceed-mazda6-flat-rock. September 2, 2013. April 11, 2013. Wards Auto.

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