BlueOval Construction Continues with Advancement and Sustainability

Ford’s new megacampus in Stanton, Tennessee, called BlueOval City, is continuing to take shape, with robotic training cells, conveyors, paint spray booths and stamping press lines being installed and prepared for production. The continued work on the plant has provided the automaker with opportunities to increase the advancements and sustainability features of the campus, prioritizing environmental protection as well as local engagement to help BlueOval City be a beneficial addition for West Tennessee residents.

 “We have been humbled by the warm hospitality extended to us by our new neighbors in West Tennessee,” said Kel Kearns, plant manager, Tennessee Electric Vehicle Center at BlueOval City. “As the company that helped create the American middle class, we want residents in every community around the region to benefit as BlueOval City comes to life.”

BlueOval City is expected to become a major employer in the area, and Ford is already investing in education and learning initiatives to help prospective employees build their skills and future careers. The BlueOval Learning Initiative is in progress, developing online, classroom and hands-on segments to help prepare employees to operate, maintain and troubleshoot equipment. Employees destined for work in the Tennessee Electric Vehicle Center, for instance, are training on machine vision systems for robot guidance and quality assurance, automated pick-and-place material handling, sealer and adhesive dispensing systems and various automated mechanical joining technologies, among several other manufacturing.

Ford will begin hiring hourly employees in 2025 for BlueOval City, ensuring they are ready to handle customer deliveries of the next-gen electric truck beginning in 2026.

Teams at Ford are also hard at work with development plans for the campus itself, trying to increase the positive impact that the construction project and the completed space will have on the environment. BlueOval City has been created for efficiency and carbon neutrality, and those principles have been present in every stage of the project so far.

Ford is investing in carbon-free and renewable electricity throughout the West Tennessee area to strengthen the local energy grid and reduce emissions. New technology to help reduce the amount of electricity needed to manufacture vehicles, including innovations that capture and reuse heat from the site’s utility infrastructure, are being planned for the campus, and will save an estimated 300 million cubic feet of natural gas that a similarly sized assembly plant might use in a year. The facility also aims to incorporate environmental safeguards to control waste and prevent the contamination of stormwater runoff and soil, common issues with all sorts of manufacturing plants.

“We recognize the significance of farming, fishing and hunting in West Tennessee,” said Blake Newbill, senior environmental engineer, Tennessee Electric Vehicle Center. “And we understand that part of being a good neighbor is caring for the air, water and land so these important resources are preserved for our community.”

As BlueOval City continues to grow, even more exciting innovations are sure to make an appearance. To keep up on all the latest Ford news, make sure to continue reading our blog here!