WARLEY, Essex, 12 August 2019 – After 55 years in its US-styled Warley replica of Ford’s world headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, the Ford of Britain press office starts a new era at the company’s Dunton Technical Centre near Basildon.
After running Warley’s last Vehicle Enthusiasts’ Day majoring on Capri’s 50th, the press office takes up its new Dunton location on August 19.
The team will be co-located alongside Ford of Britain Marketing, Sales and Service colleagues in the centre’s V-Building. Press officers and support will be together with all external communicators including marketeers, customer advisers, fleet sales and service teams.
A full list of the team’s new landline follows – mobiles and emails remain the same. Our postal address changes to:
Ford Communications & Public Affairs
15/GV V-Building
Dunton
Basildon
Essex
SS15 6EE
Name |
Title |
New landline |
Mobile |
|
John Gardiner |
Public Affairs executive director |
01268 402117 |
+49 171 865 1593 |
|
Oliver Rowe |
Product Affairs manager |
01268 402013 |
07802 677983 |
|
tba |
Corporate Affairs manager |
tba |
01268 402079 |
Tba
|
Dan Alcock |
Press officer, CVs & Performance |
01268 401995 |
07860 911465 |
|
Christian Brown |
Press officer, Passenger cars |
01268 402051 |
07860 913913 |
|
Len Keen |
Press officer, Technical and Fleets |
01268 402052 |
07803 055408 |
|
Poppy McKenzie-Smith |
Press officer, Corporate |
01268 402146 |
07702 064136 |
|
Linda Craddock |
Events specialist |
01268 402128 |
07920 5771611 |
|
Steve Kular |
Corporate administrator |
01268 402179 |
07802 678036 |
|
Paul Harding |
Heritage fleet administrator |
01268 402190 |
07803 055408 |
|
Adam Kiely |
Press fleet administrator |
01268 402088 |
07702 064135 |
John Gardiner, executive director, Ford of Britain C&PA, said: “The press office team has enjoyed three different locations within our Warley HQ since the building opened in the mid-1960s, but this next move to Dunton is our biggest and boldest yet.
“Ford Dunton is the home of our European market-leading commercial vehicle business which is set to play an even more significant role in our future. So we’re moving to where the action is, and we look forward to welcoming friends and colleagues at Dunton soon. Just give us time to unpack mugs and find the boiling water tap!”
Once unpacked the team will resume preparing to make the headlines with new Focus ST and the Puma crossover, as well as plug-in hybrids in Transit Custom, Tourneo Custom and Kuga. In company news, Ford will continue promoting projects encompassing mental health, diversity and education. These include the Where’s Your Head At and #WorkWithMe campaigns, plus Greenpower inspiring young people to excel in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) through building and racing electric cars.
Ford Public Affairs’ nearby Heritage Workshop at Dagenham, E London, and Press Garage in Brentford, Middlesex, are unaffected by the office move.
# # #
Ford of Britain has been sales leader in the U.K. for passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles for 42 and 53 consecutive years, respectively. A Ford model has been the country’s best-selling passenger vehicle for 45 years, with Fiesta being the country’s top-selling vehicle for the last nine years. Ford is a major employer in the U.K. with significant operations, including engine production facilities in Dagenham, east London, and Bridgend, South Wales, and transmission manufacturing at a joint venture on Merseyside. The Dunton Technical Centre in Essex is responsible for the design and engineering of Ford’s commercial vehicles, while London is home to Ford’s Mobility Innovation Office developing future mobility solutions for Europe.
Ford of Europe is responsible for producing, selling and servicing Ford brand vehicles in 50 individual markets and employs approximately 51,000 employees at its wholly owned facilities and consolidated joint ventures and approximately 65,000 people when unconsolidated businesses are included. In addition to Ford Motor Credit Company, Ford Europe operations include Ford Customer Service Division and 23 manufacturing facilities (17 wholly owned or consolidated joint venture facilities and six unconsolidated joint venture facilities). The first Ford cars were shipped to Europe in 1903 – the same year Ford Motor Company was founded. European production started in 1911.
