Ford, Japanese Firm to Build Glass Factory

Ford Motor Co. has announced a $100-million joint venture with a Tokyo glass company to build a U.S. plant and supply glass to the North American plants of Japanese auto makers.

The 350,000-square-foot plant to be built by Ford and Central Glass Co. of Tokyo could ultimately employ about 400 workers to process flat glass from Ford’s North American facilities into windshields, side glass and backlights.

It is the first joint venture for Ford’s Glass Division. Ford will own a 49% stake in the venture, with Central Glass to own 51%.

A site for the plant has not been selected yet, although operations are slated to start during the second quarter of 1991, Ford spokesman Bill Peacock said.

“We have the plant all designed but we have not yet picked a piece of land to put it on,” he said, adding that the new facility will have the capacity to supply glass for up to 1 million vehicles a year.

Central Glass already has supplier contracts with several North American plants run by Japanese auto makers, including Nissan’s plant in Smyrna, Tenn., Peacock said.