- Speaking to business executives in Grand Rapids, Ford executive chair Bill Ford Jr. said Michigan is headed in the wrong direction
- Ford Motor Co., facing a wave of competition, is focusing on its core US market
- Product expansions and hiring of US suppliers could help Michigan, Ford says
GRAND RAPIDS — The global auto industry is becoming more regional, a move that could help bolster Michigan’s sagging economy, Ford Motor Co.’s executive chair said Monday during a visit to west Michigan.
Saturation among Asian automakers, upheaval in European markets and pressures from state-subsidized Chinese manufacturers are prompting US automakers to more firmly stake their claim to their home markets, Bill Ford Jr. told the Economic Club of Grand Rapids.
As Ford Motor Co. confronts changes in market forces — including tariffs — Michigan and the US will benefit, Ford said…