| Ford Motor Co. announced that it has entered | | | | track." |
| into agreements with two companies to sell | | | | |
| Michigan and Mexico auto parts plants. | | | | In connection with the plant's sale to |
| | | | Flex-N-Gate, Steve Stamper, president of UAW |
| The companies are Flex-N-Gate Corp. and | | | | Local 600 at the Michigan fuel tank plant |
| Cooper-Standard Automotive Inc. The former is | | | | said, "It's better than being closed." The |
| a privately held manufacturing company based | | | | plants were previously part of Visteon, the |
| in Urbana, Illinois. It has agreed to | | | | automaker's parts wing that eventually become |
| purchase the operation in Milan, about 35 | | | | a separate company in 2000. In 2005, the |
| miles southwest of Detroit. The plant is | | | | automaker bought back some plants and created |
| utilized by the automaker in the production | | | | Automotive Components Holdings LLC. It is now |
| of automotive grills and bumpers. According | | | | responsible for producing automotive and |
| to the automaker, the auto parts plant | | | | architectural glass, chassis, auto interior, |
| includes salaried employees leased from | | | | powertrain components, and Ford climate |
| Visteon Corp. and United Auto Workers union | | | | control. Said holding company operates 10 |
| hourly employees leased from Ford. | | | | plants in the United States and 3 in Mexico. |
| | | | |
| Meanwhile, Cooper-Standard Automotive Inc., | | | | Aside from selling parts plants, Ford is also |
| headquartered in Novi, agreed to purchase the | | | | absorbed in global restructuring. Mark |
| Jarudo automotive fuel rail factory of the | | | | Fields, president of Ford Motor Co.'s |
| automaker in Mexico. Said factory has about | | | | Americas division, said that global |
| 500 workers. Cooper-Standard is a world | | | | restructuring of the automaker's management |
| leader automotive supplier that specializes | | | | team will help give him the resources he |
| in the manufacture and marketing of systems | | | | needs to turn around the company's struggling |
| and components for the auto industry. Ford | | | | North American business. Fields added that |
| had agreed to sell its climate-control | | | | the reorganization will allow Ford to better |
| business to a French automotive supply | | | | leverage its global product development |
| company named Valeo SA. The automotive | | | | resources. However, he said that it will take |
| operation is based at a plant in Plymouth | | | | years for the effort to bear its full fruits. |
| Township. Al Ver, Automotive Components | | | | "It accelerates getting our products to |
| Holdings chief executive officer and chief | | | | market as we share architecture and |
| operating officer said, "We're on the right | | | | components," Fields said. |