Ford aims to restore profits

Ford Motor Co., in an update on the restructuring of its manufacturing operations, announced today that it will idle its Cleveland Casting plant in 2009 — leaving just six plants left to be identified for closure under its Way Forward restructuring plan.

The automaker also will defer production of a new 3.5-liter engine at one of its two Cleveland engine plants to an engine plant in Lima, Ohio, until next spring.

“We have to make tough decisions, and this is one of them,” Joe Hinrichs, vice president of Ford’s manufacturing operations in North America, said during a conference call this morning.