With lots of flourishes last week, Ford announced that the 2023 Ford Super Duty line has begun shipping to customers. The flourishes come from the new F-Series Super Duty models shipping from the recently renovated Kentucky Assembly Plant, where the heavy-duty pickups are assembled.
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Ford has been the number-one truck manufacturer for nearly the last half-century. Its F-Series, the F-150, has led the light pickup market. And for the last few years, Ford’s heavy-duty pickups have been leaders in their segment.
Globally, Ford is the number one selling pickup maker thanks to the continued strength of the F-Series Super Duty (heavy duty) line. Its all-new 2023 Super Duty line is now shipping to customers.
Truck ‘Tough-Tested’
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According to Ted Cannis, Ford Pro CEO, “The all-new 2023 Ford F-Series Super Duty is the tough-tested icon that our customers trust. It is the smartest and most capable truck we’ve ever built. It offers must-have towing tech, embedded 5G capability, over-the-air updates, and a suite of available Ford Pro Intelligence solutions to help maximize uptime and accelerate productivity. And of course, its best-in-class payload and towing, more than any of our competitors, means this truck can take on any job.”
The start of 2023 production follows a recent $700 million investment that added 500 jobs for Louisville-assembled products, including Super Duty – the latest evidence of Ford's Built for America commitment.
“Investing in our members is always the right thing to do," said UAW Region 2B Director Dave Green. "This is another testament to the hard work our members give every single day of their lives. I thank Ford for continuing to invest in our members and communities.”
Built for America
Ford assembles more vehicles in the U.S. and employs more hourly workers in America than any other automaker. And no product line embodies Ford’s commitment to American production more than Ford F-Series, the best-selling pickup for 46 straight years.
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11,000 Hourly Workers Assemble Trucks
Approximately 11,000 UAW hourly workers – more than 9,000 at Kentucky Truck Plant and approximately 1,800 at Ohio Assembly Plant – assemble the Ford F-Series Super Duty. Plant operations, local sales, suppliers, and employees help support nearly 200,000 direct and indirect jobs and a combined GDP of approximately $19 billion between those two states.
In Kentucky, Ford employs more than 12,000 people and supports nearly 120,000 direct and indirect jobs in the state and a state GDP contribution of $11.8 billion.
State officials are enthusiastic about Ford’s success. Says Gov. Andy Beshear, “It’s incredible to see production begin for the 2023 Ford F-Series Super Duty Truck because it represents Ford’s longstanding commitment to Kentucky, our workers, and our future. This was one of the largest investments in Jefferson County’s history, following the record-shattering electric vehicle battery plant announcement in Hardin County. Together, we’re building a brighter future – and I am excited to see this iconic American company continue to succeed right here in Kentucky.”
Delivering for Customers
Production and initial customer deliveries mark a pivotal moment for America’s truck leader and its customers – the builders and backbone of communities across the U.S.
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In addition to “Built Ford Tough” power and capability, the all-new Super Duty is loaded with technology aimed at helping workers do their jobs. It is the first pickup in the U.S. with embedded 5G capability. The 2023 Super Duty line features a host of driver-assist technologies. It introduces the new Ford Pro Upfit Integration System, designed for customers who rely on upfits and body equipment such as utility cranes and plows to accomplish a job. Super Duty’s 5G modem from Qualcomm Technologies can also provide a Wi-Fi hotspot for up to 10 devices to help keep workers and families connected on the go and support Ford Power-Up software updates while driving to keep making the truck better over time.
“Whether it is mining, emergency response, utility services, or towing a boat, Super Duty is the tool that gets the job done, and we know our customers are thrilled that it is coming,” said Cannis.
Focus on Lasting Quality
For this month’s 2023 launch, Ford focused on building a truck truly made for America’s builders.
“We know Super Duty customers; they push their trucks to the limits,” said Andrew Kernahan, Super Duty Chief Engineer. “Nothing compares to putting vehicles into the real world to see how they perform, so we tested Super Duty beyond its limits.”
Production-ready models underwent exhaustive real-world road testing with an emphasis on high mileage tests to meet the demands of Ford Pro commercial customers. Tripling the number of trucks used in trailer tow testing and nearly quadrupling the count for Built Ford Tough durability testing provided additional quality data points compared to previous launches.
Robust testing is just the start. At Kentucky Truck and Ohio Assembly plants, Ford adopted a Zero-Defect Launch Process, increasing the number of quality checks during the assembly process. Once trucks roll off the line, every vehicle is driven 25 miles by a Ford employee as an additional quality check to help identify issues before delivery.
“Never before have I seen teams come together as they have for this Super Duty launch. We are looking to exceed our customers’ expectations with Super Duty, which requires ensuring every employee feels empowered to speak up when there are issues,” said Andrew Kernahan, Super Duty Chief Engineer.
Jake Klug, Super Duty Body Team Manager, noticed hood fits on initial trucks that were within spec but still could be seen as dissatisfying to customers. Klug quickly pulled a small team together, working nights and weekends to ensure all trucks in hand fit the visual quality Super Duty customers expect.
Ford Motors Photo
Marc Stern has been an automotive writer since 1971 when an otherwise normal news editor said, “You're our new car editor," and dumped about 27 pounds of auto stuff on my desk. I was in heaven as I have been a gearhead from my early days. As a teen, I spent many misspent hours hanging out at gas stations (a big thing in my youth) and working on cars. From there on, it was a straight line to my first column for the paper "You Auto Know," an enterprise I handled faithfully for 32 years. Only a few people know that I also handled computer documentation for most of my earnings while writing YAN. My best writing, though, was always in cars. My work has appeared in Popular Mechanics, Mechanix Illustrated, AutoWeek, SuperStock, Trailer Life, Old Cars Weekly, Special Interest Autos, etc. You can follow me on: Twitter or Facebook.
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