It was built two years after the Edison Assembly plant opened and would eventually replace the Ford Motor Company Edgewater Assembly Plant which closed in 1955.

[2][3] At the time of its completion, it was the largest motor vehicle assembly plant in the United States.

The Ford plant, along with other businesses such as American Brake Shoe and Foundry Company, helped contribute to the economic development of the town and its reputation for low home property taxes.

[4] The Mahwah town sports teams remain named Thunderbirds in honor of the Ford plant.

Bruce Springsteen's 1982 song "Johnny 99" references the closure of the Mahwah plant in its opening line.