Ford Motor Co. said it will close...

Ford Motor Co. said it will close its historic Northville, Mich., steel fuel tank manufacturing plant and transfer the 42 employees to its Dearborn engine plant. Ford spokeswoman Judith Muhlberg said production of steel fuel tanks at Northville will be consolidated with fuel tank production at the Dearborn plant. The Northville plant is one of the oldest in the Ford system and was part of the original “cottage industries” concept embraced by company founder Henry Ford. Instead of buying parts from outside suppliers, Ford preferred to build them himself at a number of small plants in the Detroit area.