Ford's Broadmeadows Plant Turns 50

The factory considered to be the birthplace of the Ford Falcon, Ford's Australian Broadmeadows assembly facility is celebrating it's 50th year of existence. And as with any worth-while anniversary, the plant management, together with the workers have set up all the necessary crop: sausages, cakes and, of course, balloons.

"The Broadmeadows plant has been a well loved icon in Australia's auto industry," Marin Burela, Ford Australia CEO said in a release. "Our exciting range of new engines to make Falcon and Territory cleaner and greener will improve fuel economy and reduce emissions, while continuing to deliver comparable levels of performance."

"These significant changes will attract new customers to the Ford brand, which will ensure the Broadmeadows plant remains a strong part of our future in Australia."

Apart from the sausages and cake, the Broadmeadows facility has quite a history in Australia. When it was established, in 1959, it was the largest post World War II manufacturing facility in Victoria. In its first year of operation, the facility assembled 45,022 vehicles and, overtime, became one of the most complex assembling operations, with some 41 models being welded together here.

For the next years, Ford is planning to keep producing the models it currently builds locally: Falcon sedan, Falcon Ute and Territory. The American manufacturer is planning a $230 million investment for the further development of these models.

As for the Falcon, it was introduced in 1960, in the form of the XK Falcon. Since then, the years help it become the "longest continuous model line in Australian motoring history."