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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday September 30, 2006 - 7 Ford president says CUVs will drive future auto market By Melanie Hennessey SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER In the face of massive transformations and staggering innovations underway at Ford's Oakville plant, come "difficult decisions and painful consequences for loyal employees," said Ford Canada's CEO and President Bill Osborne. Witness the strike Monday and Tuesday by 17 boiler workers at the plant that held up traffic for hours. Four positions in this part of the facility will be eliminated as a result of a massive $1 billion changeover to a new flexible assembly plant, Osborne told members of the Oakville Chamber of Commerce Thursday night. "We are back at the negotiating table with the Communications Energy and Paperworkers Union," said Osborne, as he thanked local police, town officials and neighbours who helped abate the slowdown caused by the picket lines. The Canadian Auto Workers union represents the majority of the plant's 3,600 employees. The impending impacts on employees are part of the reality of building a stronger, and more prosperous company for the future, added Osborne who took the helm of Ford Canada in November 2005. The 52-year-old Oakville plant is home to Ford's first flexible manufacturing facility in Canada. It means the assembly plant can make more than one vehicle on the same production line. LIESA KORTMANN/ OAKVILLE BEAVER STARS OF THE NIGHT: Ford of Canada CEO and President Bill Osborne with Linda Leatherdale, the master of ceremonies for the Oakville Chamber of Commerce. annual general meeting on Thursday night. "It's exciting to see the Freestar and Edge coming down the same assembly line," said Osborne. In the coming weeks, Ford will be launching two crossover vehicles: the Edge and upscale Lincoln MKX. The pro- "The Edge and the MKX vehicles are game changers. The way they look and perform will shake up the red hot crossover market." Ford of Canada CEO and President Bill Osborne duction launch for the Edge is scheduled for Oct. 16, with regular production expected to start Nov. 2. Ford's plan calls for Oakville to produce a combined 150,000 units annually of the Edge and MKX. The Oakville plant has also produced an estimated two million Freestar vans and Fseries pickup trucks. The Freestar minivan is soon-to-be discontinued and the F-series trucks has been a best seller for Ford, three years in a row. "The Edge and MKX vehicles are game changers. The way they look and perform will shake up the red hot crossover market," said Osborne. Ford arranged to give Chamber members an up-close look at one that was parked outside Le Dome Banquet Hall during Thursday night's dinner. Osborne is equally optimistic about the launch of the full-sized seven-passenger crossover, the Fairlane, in 2008. It promises the roominess of a van with the fuel efficiency of a car. "By 2008 the so-called CUVs will outpace SUVs in terms of sales in Canada," predicted Osborne. Osborne is also encouraged by a nationwide sales spike of seven per cent and by the company gaining a full point more of the automotive market shares in Canada. With the former fixed tooling monuments set up in the plant it took six months to reengineer even the smallest changes to the vehicle body. With flexible assembly such alterations can be done in days. Problems along the line can also be found and fixed more readily, on the spot, and it gives employees "unprecedented empowerment with real time data to work with," added Osborne. Flexible manufacturing also minimizes the lead-time required to bring new products to market. & Pud By Steve Nease snease@haltonsearch.com Make Your Home Comfort More Affordable LENNOX SALE ® CENTRAL AIR & FURNACE $ Up to 1000 *OAC * Instant Rebate AND NO PAYMENT! NO INTEREST! FOR 6 MONTHS LOOK FOR O CE CE As Low As $ 3995 /m.onth O.A.C Great Stuff! Great Prices! 4 Page Flyer in % $ OFF ad In Government er rebates on 14 se nditioners Air Co *Call for Details Financing Available 500 10 Years Parts & Labour Warranty * Today's Paper! * delivered to select homes 374 4 OVER 15 YEARS EXPERIENCE!!! INSURED NO DUCTS · NO PROBLEM Save $350 on ductless air conditioners W E S T 7 locations to serve you better! 905-849-4998 www.aireone.com 1-888-827-2665