Nine years after the closure of the Ford automobile factory, vehicles are being assembled again in Genk (Limburg). In November, Rhenus Automotive will start assembling John Deere agricultural vehicles: tractors, riding mowers, and off-road vehicles.

In the coming months, several million will be invested in infrastructure and assembly lines. Precise figures are not mentioned yet, but several thousand vehicles will be assembled annually in the former 30 000 square meters former plant of Ford Genk supplier SML. The arrival of Rhenus Automotive will be good for local employment, with dozens of vacancies for the region.

Presence of waterway

Some vehicles – the so-called Turf Utility Vehicles with 4WD often used on golf courts – will be fully assembled, others – like tractors and riding mowers – only partially. The parts will be mainly supplied via the Albert Channel. The finished products will go from Genk to the whole of Europe and North Africa. The central position and the access to the waterway were probably decisive arguments for the choice of location.

Until the end of 2014, engine and chassis components were assembled in the former industrial halls of SML, one of the former suppliers of Ford Genk, which was directly connected with the plant via a conveyor belt.

In recent years, the Rhenus Automotive site in Genk has proven its usefulness through various smaller projects. The contract with John Deere is the largest since the closure of Ford Genk.