  2 3 , ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁ ▁The ▁St .   Paul ▁plant ▁was ▁not ▁included ▁among ▁the ▁initial ▁list ▁of ▁plant ▁clos ings ▁announced ▁in ▁January . ▁ ▁However , ▁Ford ▁announced ▁on ▁April   1 3 ▁that ▁the ▁T win ▁C ities ▁plant ▁would ▁close ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁Nor folk , ▁Virginia ▁Ford ▁F - series ▁pick up ▁plant . ▁ ▁R anger ▁production ▁has ▁dropped ▁from ▁a ▁peak ▁of ▁nearly ▁ 3 0 0 , 0 0 0   un its ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁to ▁under ▁ 1 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁ ▁First ▁quarter ▁ 2 0 0 6   s ales ▁for ▁the ▁R anger ▁were ▁under ▁ 2 2 , 5 0 0 — down ▁another ▁ 1 6 % ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁ ▁While ▁other ▁Ford ▁plants ▁were ▁operating ▁at ▁an ▁average ▁capacity ▁of ▁ 7 5 % ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁the ▁T win ▁C ities ▁Plant ▁beat ▁that ▁average ▁with ▁ 8 3 %, ▁but ▁higher ▁than ▁average ▁product ivity ▁was ▁not ▁enough ▁to ▁hold ▁off ▁the ▁plant ' s ▁ult imate ▁closure . ▁ ▁On ▁July ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁Ford ▁announced ▁they ▁would ▁keep ▁the ▁T win ▁C ities ▁Plant ▁open ▁through ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁ ▁The ▁plant ▁produced ▁its ▁last ▁vehicle