Six and a half years after enters ing the German automobile market che Henry Ford officially opened.an 18; plant "here and' prepared, to push further into the field which last year saw it sake the lead in certain fovanches over any other "German producing company.
The old "Model T" Ford became popular in Germany immediately on its entrance into the market late in 1924. Last year Ford sold more trucks than any other truck manws facturer in the country. Total solea were 19,500 units.
The plant. which was officially Jopened "to-day, was a. rush job. Started in October, 1930, pushed forward rapidly desi ter weather and. difficulties marshy land on the bank of the Rhine where the quai and part the foundation had to be reinforced with concrete, The Ford quai. will permit the shipment of machinery Jand parts by an all-water route from De: roit direct to the Ford plant with transhipment at Rotterdam, For most of this year assembly lonly will be carried on at the rate lof 150 nits in each igh hours Jday—200 units each day in all, Two thousand German workmen, directed Joy American superintendents will be employed at the start and thers will be 500 engineers, clerks and Imembers of the busines: staff. Soon there will be 9,000 Germans and 600 Americans employed here.
Cologne welcomes the opening 00 the new plant. For days during [May the doors were surrounded by thousands of workers from early morning, All looking for Much German material will used in the Ford units to be manu-factored here. The Ford plant will manufacture automobiles but rok aeroplanes, since the Junkers inter" ests have a virtual monopoly in the aviation industry in this coun: ty The Ford assembly plant [Berlin has been gisinantled and Ford activities in Germany. been transferred to Cologne. [Cologne factory is a 7 the English Ford factory, at Dayenham, but it is just as modern Jford plants "at ~De: roit, United
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.