Come January, about 1,000 laid-off Ford workers will get their jobs back. That's because Ford, despite industry trends, is predicting that sales of its re-designed F-150 will surpass its current reduced manufacturing capacity. To prepare for this, Ford will restore a third shift at its Dearborn Truck Plant in January and invite back 1,000 workers who were previously laid off. When the wayward workers arrive back on the job, the plant's payroll will swell back up to 3,300 workers. The announcement came yesterday during a celebration at the plant to kick off production of the 2009 F-150, which was attended by Ford CEO Alan Mulally, President of the Americas Mark Fields and Ford family scion Bill Ford Jr.

Ford says the need to restore third-shift workers is in part due to the company's success selling highly-incentivized, left-over 2008 models. We certainly liked the new F-150, and so does Texas, apparently. Then again, it doesn't hurt that the 2009 model already has a $2,000 rebate on it shood.

The AP also reports that Ford has no plans to scale back its overall product development or the F-150's marketing budget. The first of the new F-150's TV ads are set to run this Sunday on 'NFL on FOX'.