SÃO PAULO -- Ford's Taubaté Engine Plant just reached the milestone of 2.5 million Zetec RoCam engines produced since 1999. Working in three shifts, the plant produces 280,000 motors per year which equip the EcoSport, Fiesta, Ka and Courier lines, besides being exported to Argentina, where they equipped the Focus model up to 2009, when they were replaced by the new Sigma engine, also produced in Taubaté.

The performance, economy and durability of the RoCam engines' family were factors behind the Ford vehicle success in the Brazilian market. According to Celso Salles, Taubaté Powertrain Operations manager, the engine brought major innovations to the plant, including the Flex Fuel generation, along with advances in machining and finishing processes to meet the legal regulations for pollutants emissions.

The high quality standard is another feature of the RoCam brand. "The Quality Operating System (QOS) of the factory, aligned to the Ford Global QOS guarantees its high quality standard, which is recognized by consumers and constantly audited," says Salles.

The machining and assembly lines of the RoCam engine account for half of the Taubaté Plant commitments, which are complemented by the production of Sigma engines, IB5 transmissions and cylinder heads casted in aluminum. Its machining lines adopt a mix concept of machining cells with transfer lines, which generate greater efficiency in work.