Wayne builds the Bronco and Ranger

The Ford complex along Michigan Avenue is not just near Wayne. It is one of the clearest explanations for the city’s industrial shape. State inspectors described a 369-acre site stretching more than a mile beside the city. Its current assembly lines produce two familiar Ford names: the Bronco sport utility vehicle and the Ranger pickup.

The factory has lived several lives. Wayne Stamping and Assembly began operating in 1952. By 1957, the complex held two assembly plants and a stamping plant. Michigan Truck built vehicles from the original Bronco to the Expedition and Lincoln Navigator. Wayne Assembly made full-size sedans, then the Escort and Focus.

The truck plant went idle in 2008, and vehicle production at Wayne Assembly ended in 2010. Ford then rebuilt the truck side, renamed it Michigan Assembly, and restarted it in 2011 with the Focus and C-Max. Another major changeover began in 2018 for the Ranger and the returning Bronco.

That loop is the memorable part. A plant that once made the original Bronco spent years building small cars, then was remade to build a new Bronco. The building names and floor plans changed, but Wayne remained the address. When a Bronco or Ranger rolls down Michigan Avenue, it may be only a few minutes from the line where it was built.