Ford begins 10-year plan to centralize Dearborn, Mich., campus

This week, the Ford Motor Company announced that it has teamed up with SmithGroupJJR to centralize its 60-year-old Dearborn, Mich., plant. The company said that it will rebuild 7.5 million sf of work space over a 10-year period, which will shift 30,000 employees from 70 buildings now into two primary locations.

The company will integrate green features and technology into the design. The layout will be walkable, with paths, trails, and covered walkways. Meanwhile, the campus will be able to handle autonomous vehicles, on-demand shuttles, and eBikes. The wireless speeds will be up to 10 times faster than they are now. A new 700,000-sf Design Center will be the highlight of the campus. 

Ford said the renovated plant will better serve it during its transition into becoming both an auto and a mobility company. While designing, producing, and marketing automobiles like cars, trucks, and SUVs will be the primary business driver, Ford will also push Ford Smart Mobility, which will focus on connectivity, mobility, and autonomous vehicles.

“As we transition to an auto and a mobility company, we’re investing in our people and the tools they use to deliver our vision,” Ford President and CEO Mark Fields said in a statement. “Bringing our teams together in an open, collaborative environment will make our employees’ lives better, speed decision-making and deliver results for both our core and emerging businesses.”