WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown applauded news that Ford Motor Company’s Cleveland Engine Plant began producing four-cylinder EcoBoost engines. The new line – announced more than two years ago – is a nearly $200 million investment that brought 450 jobs to Cleveland from Spain.

“It is promising to see Ford move multiple lines of production back to America. Ohio workers are some of the best in the world – and as these high-demand engines start rolling off the assembly line today, we are reminded more than ever that Ohio remains a great place to do business,” said Brown. “Ford’s continued investment in northeast Ohio speaks volumes to the strength of our workers.”   

In February 2013, Ford announced its plans to move production of the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine for North American vehicles from Valencia, Spain to Cleveland. Ford is also shifting production of its F-650 and F-750 trucks from Mexico to Avon Lake, which is a $168 million investment in the region.

According to a 2010 study by the Center for Automotive Research, more than 848,000 Ohio jobs depend on the auto industry; this figure includes 120,285 direct employment (people employed directly by auto industry: 39,685 by automakers and 80,600 by parts suppliers); 276,330 indirect employment (jobs indirectly employed by automakers or parts suppliers: 167,891 by automakers and 108,439 by parts suppliers); and 395,981 spin-off employment (expenditure-induced employment resulting from spending by direct and intermediate employees; 221,018 by automakers and 174,963 by suppliers). A 2011 study by the Center for Automotive Research found that 164,654 jobs in 2009 would have been lost in Ohio if the auto industry had not been rescued.

Brown has long been a champion of American manufacturing and Ohio’s auto industry. In November 2008, he introduced the Auto Industry Emergency Bridge Loan Act with a bipartisan group of colleagues. In December 2008, Brown fought to ensure that funds from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) were allocated to aid the Big 3 and American auto suppliers. At the start of 2009, Brown applauded President Obama’s decision to advance restructuring plans to ensure the viability of the American auto industry.

Brown also was a strong supporter of the Cash for Clunkers program, in which the federal government provided Ohio consumers with vouchers to purchase new fuel-efficient vehicles. The program was a resounding success, helping American consumers purchase nearly 700,000 new vehicles—adding nearly one percent to the third-quarter GDP growth at the time. The program stabilized the auto sector and saved or created thousands of jobs across Ohio and the nation.

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