Norfolk Assembly was a Ford manufacturing plant that opened on April 20, 1925 [1] on the Elizabeth River, near downtown Norfolk, Virginia, eventually closing in 2007 after manufacturing more than 7.9 million cars and trucks over almost a century of production.[2]
Modeled after the River Rouge Plant, the facility eventually included a power house, water treatment plant, barber shop, safety-shoe store, restaurant, fitness center and TV studio.[3] At the time of its closure, Ford employed more than 2,600 people[1] at the 2,800,000-square-foot (260,000 m2) facility.[1] Ford invested $375 million at the plant in 2002[4] to upgrade it for production of the redesigned eleventh generation 2004 F-150.[1]
Archival papers of the noted industrial architect Albert Kahn (housed at the Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan) indicate that in 1934 Kahn's office prepared drawings for architectural work at Norfolk Assembly.[5]
Norfolk Assembly produced models including the Model T, Model A and school bus chassis.[6] The last model manufactured at the plant was the F150.
- ^ a b c d "Despite Ford's troubles, Norfolk plant is likely to keep on truckin'". Jeremiah McWilliams, The Virginian-Pilot© November 11, 2005. Archived from the original on August 11, 2007. Retrieved April 11, 2008.
- ^ "Ford Sells Norfolk Assembly Plant". Autoblog, 18 Mar 2011, Daniel Patrascu.
- ^ "Joy Ride. Ford unions met resistance, brought relief". Virginian-Pilot, March 26, 2007, Bill Burke.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
pilot3was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Albert Kahn Papers, 1896-2011". Bentley Historical Library.
- ^ "Joy Ride. School bus frames were a staple at Norfolk Ford plant". Virginian-Pilot, March 28, 2007, Bill Burke.