DAGENHAM, UK, July 15, 2021 – Ford and MS-RT, the Ford Pro commercial vehicles conversion partner and design-led automotive engineering company that creates specialised Ford vehicles that stand out on the road, today announced that MS-RT is to establish a new £4 million vehicle conversion facility at Ford Dagenham.
Ford and MS-RT already enjoy a close collaborative relationship, and with this new investment it provides the opportunity for MS-RT to expand its business while enabling easier access to Ford technical expertise in Dagenham and at the close-by Ford Britain Dunton Campus, the Ford Commercial Vehicles business group’s home in Europe. The collaboration will accelerate the development of current and future MS-RT vehicles for discerning customers both in the UK and international markets.
The new facility is intended to provide work for more than 50 new employees when it comes online in 2022, rising to over 120 new jobs when fully operational, helping in the regeneration of one of the UK’s most deprived areas, and is needed due to increasing customer demand for the company’s vehicle conversions. MS-RT confirmed that its existing facility in Pontypool, South Wales will continue to operate with no loss of jobs.
“This latest Ford and MS-RT cooperation supports Ford’s vision of expanding business opportunities at Ford Dagenham in addition to continuing to produce advanced technology diesel engines, and builds on our plan to grow our market presence through strategic relationships with key vehicle converters,” said Paul Baynes, manager, Marketing and Sales – Ford Pro Vehicle Solutions, Ford of Europe.
‘We are delighted to be building on our partnership with Ford by opening a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility at Ford Dagenham,” said Edward Davies, MS-RT’s founder and director. “The new site will drive innovation, expand our manufacturing capability, and further strengthen our collaboration with Ford.”
MS-RT creates distinctive models based on Ford’s leading commercial vehicle nameplates and has been a Ford Qualified Vehicle Modifier (QVM) since 2020, meeting Ford’s rigorous standards in manufacturing and quality control and offering full warranty support. MS-RT products are also now available through Ford’s One Stop Shop scheme, where converted vehicles are included on Ford product price lists and can be purchased by customers directly from Ford dealerships.
MS-RT vehicles are inspired by 40 years of motor racing experience on and off the track with its partner, M-Sport. In addition to the UK, MS-RT products – which today include the Ford Transit Connect MS-RT; the Ford Transit Custom MS-RT; and the Ford Ranger MS-RT – are now available from Ford Transit Centres in Belgium, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, and Romania, with other markets to follow.
The new MS-RT facility will be located in an existing building at Ford Dagenham used last year to build much-needed medical ventilators for the National Health Service as part of Ford involvement in the Ventilator Challenge UK.
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About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford trucks, utility vehicles, and cars – increasingly including electrified versions – and Lincoln luxury vehicles; provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company; and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification; mobility solutions, including self-driving services; and connected vehicle services. Ford employs approximately 186,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit corporate.ford.com.
Ford of Britain has been sales leader in the U.K. for passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles for 44 and 55 consecutive years respectively, with Fiesta being the country’s top-selling vehicle the last 12 years. The U.K. is Ford’s third-largest global market, accounting for around 30 percent of Ford total vehicle sales in Europe. Ford is going “all-in” on electrification, with its passenger vehicle range moving to all-electric by 2030. Ford directly employs around 7,000 people in the U.K., with thousands more employed in its extensive dealer network. The Ford Britain Dunton Campus in Essex is the home of Ford’s European commercial vehicle business group, the Ford of Britain national sales company, Ford’s banking arm – Ford Credit Europe – and powertrain engineering. Around 85 percent of engines and all transmissions built in the U.K. are exported to more than 15 countries on six continents. Total value of Ford exports is around £2.5 billion annually.
MS-RT is a design-led automotive engineering company with a track record for producing low volume, premium special edition models in the Commercial Vehicle sector. We take iconic products like the Ford Transit and give them a sporting edge that’s unlike anything else on the road. Drawing on 40 years of motorsport association, each model is hand-crafted using components that set the standard for the sector, meaning that every MS-RT Ford is born to perform. Ford commercial vehicles have justifiably earned a reputation for being tough and reliable. MS-RT adds a unique and eye-catching sporty style into the mix.
