A new £4million vehicle conversion facility will be created at Ford Dagenham.

It will be established by automotive engineering company MS-RT - Ford Pro’s commercial vehicles conversion partner - at an existing site used to build medical ventilators for the NHS last year.

The announcement by the companies on July 15 follows news that a state of the art, lightweight ambulance model is set to be produced at Ford Dagenham from next year.

It’s expected the new facility will provide work for more than 50 new employees when it becomes active in 2022, increasing to 120 new jobs when fully operational.

Ford of Europe marketing and sales manager for Ford Pro vehicle solutions, Paul Baynes, said: “This latest Ford and MS-RT cooperation supports Ford’s vision of expanding business opportunities at Ford Dagenham in addition to continuing to produce advanced technology diesel engines.

“It builds on our plan to grow our market presence through strategic relationships with key vehicle converters.”

MS-RT says the new facility will help in the regeneration of one of the UK’s most deprived areas and is needed due to increasing customer demand for its vehicle conversions.

The facility will allow MS-RT to expand its business while enabling easier access to Ford technical expertise in Dagenham and at the Ford Britain Dunton Campus in Basildon.

Its founder and director Edward Davies said: “We are delighted to be building on our partnership with Ford by opening a state of the art manufacturing facility at Ford Dagenham.

“The new site will drive innovation, expand our manufacturing capability, and further strengthen our collaboration with Ford.”

The partnership is expected to accelerate the development of current and future MS-RT vehicles.

MS-RT creates distinctive models based on Ford’s commercial vehicle nameplates.

It has been a Ford Qualified Vehicle Modifier since last year, meeting standards in manufacturing and quality control and offering full warranty support.

MS-RT has confirmed that its existing facility in Pontypool, South Wales will continue to operate with no loss of jobs.