Ford F-150 launch is soon: Sales slide delays the new version

Detroit Free Press (MCT) - Three months ago, Ford Motor Co. decided to delay the launch of the all-new 2009 F-150 until later this year, as high gas prices and a souring U.S. economy took a bite out of pickup sales.

Through August, U.S. sales of full-size pickups and Ford's F-Series line are down a harsh 25 percent.

But now, the long summer sales slide seems to be stabilizing, with the help of easing gas prices and high incentives, and the launch of the F-150 is around the corner.

On Sept. 22, nearly 2,000 workers, who have been on temporary layoff, head back to the Dearborn Truck Plant in Michigan to build the F-150, which is the volume model of Ford's mighty F-Series lineup.

The F-Series has been the best-selling truck line in America for 31 years.

Already this week, a few dozen Ford hourly and salaried workers have started heading back to the factory, where they are reviewing every part and assembly station to make sure they are building the new truck as efficiently and competently as possible.

Since Monday, hourly workers have been teaching salaried workers how to build one F-150 truck, station by station, through the plant, using the same instructions and tools given to hourly workers.

Mike Horvath, a 15-year Ford employee and a UAW-represented team leader at Dearborn Truck, said Wednesday that this validation process helps ensure the instructions, parts and assembly line for workers are up to par and ensure the best quality.

"It's important for the supervisors to know how to build the truck," Horvath said.

Debbie Manzano, a 14-year Ford employee and the quality manager at the plant, said the delay gave Ford more time to get the truck just right.

"We're trying to achieve best-in-class," she said of the new truck.

Doug Scott, Ford's truck marketing manager, said that while this year's pickup sales have created "a difficult situation" for Ford, there are still plenty of pickup buyers in America.

Ford says the truck market will stabilize at 2 million pickups a year.

"There's still a pickup truck market out there," he said.

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© 2008, Detroit Free Press.