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Ford to Upgrade Kansas City-Area Plant with $400 Million Investment

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Ford has announced it will put $400 million into a largeassembly plant outside Kansas City in order to modernize certain aspectsof vehicle production.The high-profile news comes three months after Fordsaid it would keep the plant open.

quoted Gov. Jay Nixon as saying it was an "historic day" for Missourians.

Thereports Fordvice president Jim Tetreault said the tax incentives, which amount to$150 million over 10 years, was a factor in the company's decision toinvest so much money in the plant.

Fordwill receive tax incentives for keeping the plant open.There werefears inthat Ford may shutter the plant altogether when itannounced one of the two vehicles assembled there would be moved toKentucky.The Ford Escape/Mercury Mariner line was moved to a plant inLouisville.

TheFord F-150 Pickup would be the only vehicle left for the nearly 4,000workers to build.Then in December Ford said it would add anothervehicle to the plant.Ford has not decided what will be produced at theClaycomo plant in the future as of yet.

Theinvestment is a telling sign Ford is moving forward with its promises. Earlier this month, the automaker said it plans on hiring 7,000 moreworkers in the next two years.

Gov.Nixon called a special session of the General Assembly last year inorder to pass the Missouri Manufacturing Jobs Act.The law would allowthe state to offer companies incentives to stay as long as they maintaincurrent employment levels.

Fordwas the only U.S. automakerandhas since been a leader and industry model for coming back from hardtimes.Auto sales were up to 11.5 million units in 2010 and the autoindustry is hoping for more in 2011.

Missourianscan now breathe a sigh of relief.A huge manufacturing plant has beensaved with hopefully more incentives for other companies to follow.Asthe economic engine in America moves sluggishly forward every bit ofnews helps.

Ford'sstock has risen gradually since a year ago.Today'swas around$18.65 per share after being just below $10 in July 2010.Ford's valuehas almost doubled in just seven months thanks to car sales reboundingand the stability of Ford's investments.

HopefullyFord's news will bolster the confidence of consumers and job seekers inMissouri even further.A recent announcement that the unemploymentrate for Missouri was stillwas stark in contrast to theretail shopping season in December.Now that companies have seen stocksgo up, it's time to bring back the jobs to American consumers.

WilliamBrowning, a lifelong Missouri resident, writes about local and stateissues for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. Born in St. Louis, Browningearned his bachelor's degree in English from the University of Missouri.He currently resides in Branson.