(CNN) - Ford has announced it will move production of the Focus compact car from the United States to China and ship many of them back to the U.S. to sell.
That's a first for the auto maker.
Ford had previously announced plans to shift production to Mexico.
It estimates it will save $500 million annually by building in China rather than Mexico.
The move will not affect any jobs at the Wayne, MI, plant where the focus has been built until now.
Ford plans to make room for larger, more profitable vehicles at the Michigan plant, which employs 3,600.
The demand for small cars in the U.S. has been weak.
Sales of the Focus are down 20 percent so far this year.
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