CLAYCOMO, Mo. (AP) — After years of preparation and more than $1 billion in upgrades, the Ford Motor Co.’s Claycomo plant has begun producing the new F-150 pickup truck.

The Kansas City Star reports that production began Friday morning. Joe Hinrichs, Ford’s president of the Americas, and Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, were on site to tour the plant and ceremonially mark the first F-150 to roll off the production line.

Gov. Jay Nixon’s prepared remarks for the ceremony say investments for the Claycomo plant began during the recession more than six years ago, when Missouri committed to helping the then-struggling automaker.

According to Ford, the plant has a total of 7,485 employees. The plant added 900 workers earlier this year to create a third truck line shift for the new production.