Bloomberg reported that Ford Motor Co will hire 1,200 new employees in China by 2015, doubling its workforce as it seeks market share in the world largest auto market.

Mr Joe Hinrichs chief of the automaker Asia Pacific and African operations said “In China we’re going to significantly increase our resources here. We’re committed to it, we have the capital, we have the products.”

Ford is banking on emerging markets to help it maintain profits after posting USD 6.56 billion in net income last year the most since 1999. The Dearborn Michigan-based company expects 70% of its growth in the next 10 years to come from the Asia-Pacific region and Africa.

The automaker introduced its Mondeo sedan in China last month and also sells Focus compact cars and Fiesta subcompacts in the world second largest economy. Its deliveries in China surged 40% to a record 582,467 vehicles last year as rising incomes and economic growth spurred auto demand. Sales rose 20% last month.

(Sourced from Bloomberg)