DETROIT, MI - Ford Motor Co. said Thursday it is adding 400 jobs at its Oakville Assembly plant outside Toronto as production of the 2015 Ford Edge officially gets underway.

The new hires are in addition to 1,000 positions added last year at the Canadian site, where Ford has invested about $563 million in a bid to make it one of the most advanced and competitive plants in the country.

The 2015 Ford Edge will be exported to more than 100 countries, and enhancements at the Oakville site will allow Ford to respond quickly to shifting international demand, the Dearborn automaker said.

Since 2008, global demand for utility vehicles is up 88 percent, and the segment now accounts for 19 percent of the global automotive market, according to Ford.

Ford said the new Edge will showcase some of the company's latest technologies, such as a front camera with washer and parking assists features. The company said improved suspension gives the Edge a quieter ride.

The SUV will come equipped with Ford's new twin-scroll, 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine. It will be the first-generation Edge in which an EcoBoost engine is standard. A Sport version will also be available with Ford's new, 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6.

The 2015 Ford Edge hits dealerships in the spring.

"The all-new Ford Edge is a true global vehicle and a showcase of Ford's product excellence," Joe Hinrichs, Ford's president of the Americas, said in a release. "Thanks to the new capabilities at Oakville Assembly, the 2015 Edge delivers improved driving dynamics, quality, quietness, interior space and even more technology, and we are proud for our Canadian team to start bringing Edge to customers in even more markets around the world."

Ford's Oakville Assembly Plant has been in operation since 1953. In addition to the Edge, the company currently builds the Ford Flex and Lincoln MKT at the site, and plans to add production of the 2016 Lincoln MKX this year.

To support the launch of the new Edge, the company added 250 robots at the plant, and upgraded another 1,000 - in addition to hiring 1,400 more hourly workers.

The facility currently has about 4,500 workers on a partial, three-shift schedule.

David Muller is the automotive and business reporter for MLive Media Group in Detroit. Email him at dmuller@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter