New Ford Factory for New Zealand

Northland Age, Volume 5, Issue 23, 6 March 1936, Page 7

New Ford Factory for New Zealand

Some details of the new Ford Factory which is now in course of construction on an estate of over 13 acres at Sea View Road, Lower Hifft, at an estimated cost for land, plant, and equipment of £160,000, were given by Mr. G. H. Jackson, Managing Director of Ford Motor Company of New Zealand Limited. Mr. Jackson stated that the new Factory was the embodiment of the desire of the Government and the people of New Zealand to develop industries for the employment of New Zealand labour. In acceptance of this desire the Ford Factories of Canada and England are transferring to New Zealand as much work as can be economically done here. One important feature of the establishment of this industry is that no overseas labour will be imported and only New Zealand workmen will be employed under expert guidance. The same high and exacting standards of quality and workmanship will be put into the vehicles assembled at this plant as is done in the factories in Canada and England and similar elaborate machines, tools and jigs will be used. Centrepoise V 8 passenger cars, V 8 Trucks and Commercial Vehicles, English 10 h.p. De Luxe cars and 8 h.p. light cai's will be completely built up from material supplied by the Factories in Canada and England. The new factory building is of the most modern earthquake resisting design with many details of construction entirely new to New Zealand. The building of steel frame construction with brick walls and reinforced concrete floor will cover an area of 305 feet by 400 feet. The factory is designed to give maximum natural light and ventilation. ’The total glass area is over 50 percent, of the floor space and working conditions will .be ideal. On the North side runs a crane bay the full length of the building served by an overhead travelling crane and having a railway siding inside, along its full length. The remainder of the plant is built in bays 48 feet wide. Several novel features are incorporated in the building. Travelling platforms are being installed in the roof structure to facilitate window cleaning and large sections of the roof glass are controlled electrically tor • ventilation. The offices will be ‘air conditioned’ throughout so that they P will have an even temperature both summer and winter. Every regard will be taken for the employees welfare. Light and ventilation are main considerations, and the plant will be kept spotlessly clean and fitted with every modern safety device for the protection of the workmen. P’or instance, every machine has its own power unit. There are no belts or pulleys from overhead shafts, and each machine has specially designed and constructed safety guards. An extra precaution is the provision of a first-aid room with attendant. Various parts of the all-steel welded one-piece bodies will be held rigidly and accurately in position for welding in huge “bucks” or jigs exactly similar to those used in the principal Ford Factories throughout the World. Four different types of weldings are used in the production of the body,

each best suited to the particular work to be performed. Arc welding, the oldest form of electric welding, the later type of electric spot welding, and the most modern butt welding as well as the more familiar acetylene gas welding all play their part. The new baked enamel finish will be applied with the same painstaking attention to detail as is now done in Canada. The final coats of enamel will be applied in a sealed room, held at a fixed temperature and ‘air conditioned’ with air washed, filtered and held to a standard humidity. Finally, after receiving the final spray coat of enamel the bodies will be baked in ovens at a temperature of 250 degrees so as to give them the lasting high lustre finish so much admired in Ford Cars today. All bodies will

be moved mechanically on monorail conveyors for undercoating. This factory will become an important manufacturing concern enTploying large numbers of New Zealanders all trained to the use of the very latest and highly-developed machines and standards and will be one of the most interesting industrial projects in New Zealand. Materials of New Zealand make will be used to the greatest extent economically possible and will be fitted with the same highly-developed standard methods employed overseas. The building site was obtained through the services of Finch, Webster and Oswin, of Wellington. Contracts for the foundation work have been let to Christiani and Nielsen

Limited, Wellington, and the work commenced this week. The steel framework is in the hands of Petti' Graham and Sons, Limited, Christchurch, who start operations approximately April 15th. Messrs. J. M. Dawson and King of Wellington are the Architects. Mr. Jackson announced that the factory would be in operation towards the end of the year. Visitors will always be welcome and special guides will be employed by the Company to conduct parties at regular intervals.