From Model T to E-Transit as Ford of Britain Celebrates 115 Years of Innovation

The introduction of the moving assembly line there in 1913 revolutionised manufacturing, enabling Ford to outpace its rivals and bring affordable mobility to the masses, and by 1914 Ford sales of nearly 10,000 cars were equal to the output of the next six biggest British manufacturers combined.

This spirit of ambitious innovation was epitomised by the construction of Dagenham plant, which began in 1929. The facility, complete with its own blast furnace and deep-water jetty, would go on to produce iconic vehicles like the Model Y Popular – Britain’s first £100 family saloon.

The post-war era saw Ford of Britain cement its market leadership with legendary models such as the Anglia, Cortina, Escort, Fiesta, Focus, Kuga, Mondeo, and of course Transit.

This period also saw strategic expansion, with the opening of the Halewood plant in 1963 and the establishment of the Ford Research & Engineering Centre at Dunton in 1967. That same year, the formation of Ford of Europe integrated the British and German operations, creating a unified business that would go on to dominate the European market for decades.

While Dagenham has evolved into a state-of-the-art Diesel Centre, capable of producing more than 1-million diesel engines a year, the design and engineering expertise at Dunton remains central to the development of the company’s commercial vehicles. In fact, Dunton is the largest research and development centre of its kind in the UK.

In recent years, Ford has invested £71million at Dunton in advanced propulsion laboratories to support electric vehicle research and design, while at Halewood in Liverpool a further £380million has been invested to create a state-of-the-art facility for producing electric power units.

Lisa Brankin, Chair and Managing Director, Ford of Britain and Ireland, said: “Today, Ford employs around 6,000 people across five sites in the UK, and as the company accelerates its transition to an all-electric future, the UK team is instrumental in shaping the future of mobility. The pioneering spirit that began 115 years ago in a Manchester tram works continues to drive the innovation that will define Ford for the next century.”