BRENTWOOD, Essex, UK, May 20, 2015 – Ford’s Bridgend Engine Plant (BEP) in Wales has built its 19-millionth engine, 35 years after production began in May 1980.

Earlier this year the Plant also produced its eight-millionth small capacity petrol “Duratec” engine, since ‘job one’ at Bridgend in May 1998.

These two significant landmarks were celebrated by Ford Bridgend’s 2,200-strong workforce, alongside Ford Glasgow 2014 Athlete Ambassador, Aled Davies, whose father has worked at the plant for 35 years. They were joined by Paralympic athlete Nathan Stephens, whose father, Barrie, is also a BEP employee.

Bridgend Engine Plant manager, Ian Pearson, said: “We have a proud record of high-volume engine production at Bridgend, and we’re delighted to celebrate two significant milestones with the team that builds them.

“The Duratec engine has been produced here for 17 years and is exported across the globe. This is built alongside Ford’s very latest technology - our EcoBoost products – which provide ultra-low emissions, excellent fuel economy, refinement and performance.”

Ford Bridgend supplies petrol engines for Ford vehicles around the world, including the new 1.5-litre EcoBoost, available on the new Ford Focus, Ford Kuga, Ford Mondeo, and Ford S-MAX models. The existing 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine used to power the multi-award-winning Ford Fiesta ST is also built at the Plant.

More than 700,000 engines were built at Bridgend last year alone, 80 per cent of which were exported. A large number of these engines are exported across the Atlantic; more than 620,000 engines produced at Bridgend have been exported to the United States and Mexico since production began, with more than 75,000 so far this year*.

Last year a wind turbine was installed at Ford Bridgend, supplying energy directly to the plant. The turbine is capable of supplying up to 1,700 megawatt hours (MWh) per annum.

*As of 30 April 2015