Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) announced Tuesday that it will hire 3,000 salaried employees this year, 800 more than previously planned. The automaker is aggressively filling positions in engineering and technical areas to meet the rising demand. Craig Trudell of Bloomberg says that 2,400 of the new recruits will work in manufacturing, product development, purchasing, quality and information technology.
Ford hungry for technical professionals
According to Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F)’s HR briefing, which was reviewed by Adam Rubenfire at Automotive News, most of the new positions will be based in Michigan. The company said that 80% of new hires will be professionals with “new skills.” Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) also plans to boost hourly employment by another 12,000 by the end of 2015.
It’s the biggest salaried hiring initiative by Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) since 2000. The automaker’s group vice president for human resources, Felicia Fields, said that the hiring was necessary to meet the rising demand and maintain the company’s global growth. Fields said in an e-mailed statement that about 50% of the positions have already been filled.
Industry wide, new vehicle sales have been increasing for 25 consecutive months. Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) has increased its market share by a full percentage point from last year due to strong demand for Fusion cars and F-Series pickups. The Alan Mulally-led company reported its best June sales since 2006.
Mulally increasing earnings
Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) CEO Alan Mulally has led the company through tough times. He supervised a massive restructuring without bankruptcies, and the company has posted net income for 16 consecutive quarters. Mulally increased efficiency and earnings by selling the same models of vehicles globally, instead of different versions for different regions.
Over the past few months, Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) has announced it will hire 2,000 workers at its Kansas City plant. The company has also been recalling workers that were previously laid off.
Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) shares were down 0.79% to $16.91 at 12:44 PM EDT. The stock is up 32% this year so far, compared to a 19% increase in S&P 500 Index.
