The all-new Ford Courier range, which is the best-selling vehicle in the light commercial class, rolled off the production line at the company’s Craiova plant in Romania.
The ceremony was hosted by Ford Otosan’s General Manager, Guven Ozyurt, Ford Otosan Deputy General Manager Josephine Payne, Ford Otosan Craiova President Mujdat Tiryaki and was attended by Romanian Prime Minister, Marcel Ciolacu, Koç Group General Manager Levent Çakiroglu, Koç Holding Automotive Group President Haydar Yenigun, as well as many state officials, industry representatives, and prominent figures of the business world.
Speaking at the ceremony Ford Otosan General Manager Güven Özyurt stated: “The Courier family holds great significance for us at Ford Otosan. For nearly a decade, we have been responsible for the global production of the Courier, which bears the Ford Otosan signature from design to manufacturing. As the ideal combination of superior performance and functional design, the Courier has contributed greatly to our position as the commercial vehicle leader. And now, I take great pride and joy that it is the first vehicle we rolled off the production line at our Craiova plant. Craiova’s state-of-the-art production capabilities are complemented by Ford Otosan’s extensive experience in commercial vehicle design, engineering, and manufacturing. The Next Generation Courier range and our investments in it are testaments to our belief in Craiova and the country. I extend my best wishes for the continued success of the Transit Courier and Tourneo Courier, and I fully trust that they will reach new milestones and set new records.
Ford Pro’s General Manager Hans Schep expressed: ” The start of production of the all-new Courier range at the Craiova plant marks an important moment for our Ford Pro commercial vehicle business in Europe and represents an important milestone in our journey to create essential products for our customers.”
Koç Group General Manager Levent Çakıroğlu emphasized that they have strengthened their position in international markets with their group companies and that they have more than 90 production and sales companies in different countries around the world. Pointing to the importance of Romania in Koç Group’s global growth vision, Çakıroğlu stated that the company had invested $175 million in the country over the last five years. Regarding the Craiova Plant’s significance in the investments, Mr. Çakıroğlu said: “Courier, which is an important milestone in Ford Otosan’s success, accelerated the ability to assume greater responsibilities in terms of product development and design within the Ford world. I am confident that the new generation Courier will also be a huge success at the Craiova Plant, which has evolved into a plant that fully symbolizes the spirit of Ford Otosan at this time, and that Courier will soon become the leader of its segment.”
Ford Otosan is the world’s sole manufacturing hub for the Ford Courier range, which was first rolled off the assembly line at the company’s Yeniköy plant in 2014. As part of Ford Otosan’s investment strategy, Courier production was moved from Yeniköy to Craiova plant in Romania.
Last year in July, Ford Otosan announced that it would invest €490 million to support the production of the new generation Courier range at the Craiova plant, with the Puma will benefit from all-electric versions. With the investment, the plant capacity will increase from 250,000 to 272,000 vehicles per year. To further support Ford Otosan’s manufacturing needs at the Craiova plant, the company has run a massive hiring campaign creating 1300 new jobs.
Designed jointly together by Ford Otosan and Ford teams, engineered and produced by Ford Otosan, the new Ford Courier range will also have an electric version which will be produced in Craiova in 2024. The E-Transit Courier will constitute an important milestone for Ford Otosan in meeting its goal of having a fully electric light and medium commercial vehicle portfolio by 2035.