Ford pledges to work with community near future factory

BROWNSVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Ford Motor Co. officials on Tuesday pledged to be good neighbors to those in rural west Tennessee who live near the automaker's planned electric truck factory, a project expected to create thousands of jobs and change the face of the region.

More than 200 people attended a panel discussion at a high school in Brownsville, one of many communities that will likely be affected by Ford's $5.6 billion project to build electric F-Series pickups at a 3,600-acre (1,460-hectare) parcel of land known as the Memphis Regional Megasite in Haywood County.

The project, called BlueOval City, is a joint venture with SK Innovation, which will build battery factories at the Tennessee site and in Glendale, Kentucky. In west Tennessee, the project is predicted to boost the economies of several counties. Ford plans to employ about 5,600 workers at the plant, while construction of the factory and the arrival of Ford suppliers will create thousands more jobs.

The project is expected to bring both small and large businesses to the area, including hotels, restaurants, health care facilities and others. Real estate values also could increase. But some residents have expressed concern that those changes could be accompanied by increased road traffic, noise, crime and other issues.

Panelists presented a collective friendly face and discussed subjects ranging from workforce development to environmental issues to philanthropy. Ford officials said they were eager to hear from and work with residents to make the project a source of community enrichment.

“As we embark on the journey together, it is our commitment that Ford will be a good neighbor,” said Dave Nowicki, director of manufacturing, battery and electric vehicles,

Construction on the truck factory is expected to begin later this year, but crews already have...