Ford Motor Co and Navistar International Corp are planning to form a joint venture to build commercial trucks, as well as to boost use of Navistar's diesel engines within Ford Motor's truck products. The companies said the yet-to-be named company will produce Class 6 and 7 medium-duty trucks that will be marketed separately under the Ford brand and Navistar's International brand. The joint venture will produce a common chassis for Class 6 and 7 commercial trucks for sale in North America.
John Horne, Navistar president, chairman, and chief executive officer, said the chassis will be the same one used in International's new medium-duty truck. Navistar will provide product design and engineering, vehicle assembly operations, and expanded diesel engine programs. The trucks will be built in Navistar's facility in Escobedo, Mexico.
The joint venture also will include a joint North American commercial truck service parts program that will provide enhanced efficiency and streamlined customer service.
Ford and Navistar also said it will be a 50-50 joint venture. Both companies will have equal representation on the venture's board of directors, and neither company will have an equity stake in the other's parent company.
