Ford opens car plant in Nanjing

Ford Motor Company has opened a 160,000-unit car plant in Nanjing, state media reported. The factory is the second for the joint venture between Ford subsidiary Mazda Motor Company and Chang'an Motor Corp, the fourth-largest Chinese auto group. It will begin assembling the Mazda 2 subcompact next month and will start making a small-sized Ford model next year. The move comes five months after the three companies opened a 350,000-unit engine plant in Nanjing for domestic car production. Alan Mulally, Ford's president and CEO, said annual production capacity at the new plant could be increased to 300,000 units to meet increasing demand in China. Total investment in the plant will reach US$510 million.