Ford is establishing a £4 million vehicle conversion facility at Dagenham with the Ford Pro commercial vehicles conversion partner, MS-RT.
Ford and MS-RT enjoy a close collaborative relationship, and this new investment provides the opportunity for strengthening that partnership. MS-RT will enjoy easier access to Ford technical expertise in Dagenham and at the close-by Dunton Campus, which is also the Ford Commercial Vehicles business group’s home in Europe.
The collaboration will accelerate the development of current and future MS-RT vehicles for customers both in the UK and international markets.
The new facility, designed to help meet the increasing demand for the company’s vehicle conversions, will provide work for more than 50 new employees when it comes online in 2022, rising to over 120 new jobs once fully operational. MS-RT has confirmed that its existing facility in Pontypool, South Wales, will continue to operate with no loss of jobs.
“This latest Ford and MS-RT cooperation supports Ford’s vision of expanding business opportunities at Ford Dagenham in addition to continuing to produce advanced technology diesel engines, and builds on our plan to grow our market presence through strategic relationships with key vehicle converters,” said Paul Baynes, marketing and sales manager for Ford Pro Vehicle Solutions.
“We are delighted to be building on our partnership with Ford by opening a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility at Ford Dagenham,” said Edward Davies, MS-RT’s founder and director. “The new site will drive innovation, expand our manufacturing capability, and further strengthen our collaboration with Ford.”
What is MS-RT?
MS-RT creates distinctive models based on Ford’s commercial vehicles and has been a Ford Qualified Vehicle Modifier since 2020, meeting Ford’s standards in manufacturing and quality control and offering full warranty support. MS-RT products are also available through Ford’s One Stop Shop scheme, where converted vehicles are included on Ford price lists and can be purchased by customers directly from dealerships.
MS-RT vehicles are inspired by 40 years of motor racing experience on and off the track with its partner, M-Sport. In addition to the UK, MS-RT products – which today include the Ford Transit Connect MS-RT; the Ford Transit Custom MS-RT; and the Ford Ranger MS-RT – are now available from Ford Transit Centres in Belgium, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, and Romania, with other markets to follow.
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