Not even the launch of the new Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra could slow Ford F-150’s roll. It is still by far America’s most popular truck, and it keeps flying out of the showrooms faster than they put them in. So much so that Ford announced the addition of 2,000 jobs at the Kansas City Assembly Plant to keep up.

Ford is adding 900 jobs and a third crew in the third quarter to build F-150. U.S. sales of Ford’s F-Series trucks increased 24 percent in April and 19 percent year to date. Ford also is adding another 1,100 jobs starting in the fourth quarter to prepare for the introduction of the all-new Ford Transit full-size van in 2014. It is fair to say that Ford’s commercial vehicles are carrying most of the company’s weight.

Ford’s Kansas City Plant produces the F-150 Regular, Super and Crew Cab, and the Transit. The plant currently has 2,450 hourly workers working on two shifts and will add a third crew in the third quarter. In accordance with the new hiring, Ford will be investing $1.1 billion to retool and expand the facility for production of both the F-150 and Transit. The will include teh addition of a 437,000 sq.-ft. stamping facility and a 78,000 sq.-ft. paint shop.

Ford’s expansion plan also has a big impact on the economy of Kansas City. The plant has more than 250 suppliers nationally and more than 10 suppliers locally who will positively benefit from the addition of a third crew. When the production of the Transit starts next year, it will involve 275 suppliers nationally and six suppliers locally, bringing the tally, based the job multiplier effect of nine jobs to every one, to more than 18,000 jobs.