MADRID (Reuters) -U.S. automaker Ford plans to assemble 300,000 units of a new model per year at its Spanish plant in the Valencia region starting 2027, Spain's Industry Ministry said on Friday.

The company had said in March it was considering making a new sports utility vehicle (SUV) at its plant in Valencia.

"It is a model that will guarantee the workload for this factory and prepares it for the future," the ministry said in a statement.

Ford currently assembles its Kuga SUV at the plant, which employs 4,800 people, after output of other models was cut back in recent years.

A spokesperson at Ford Spain did not immediately respond to a request for comment.