Ford cuts European capacity

Ford has announced that it will shutter its Genk, Belgium, car assembly plant, the Transit cab-chassis factory in Southampton, England, and tooling and stamping units at Dagenham, near London. The company is taking decisive action to address the problem of losing money in Europe. In the face of a declining west European car market, it's a big step - if a painful one - to removing overcapacity and lowering Ford's European costs.

BELGIUM: Ford Genk/Southampton pruning 'absolutely necessary': Odell

29 October 2012

Ford of Europe insists last week's announcement of its planned closure of its Genk, Belgium and Southampton, UK, plants as well as the axing of tooling and stamping work at Dagenham, is 'absolutely necessary.'

COMMENT: Ford's Europe unions rage against the machine

26 October 2012

Burning cars, blockaded trains, strewn debris, the full fury of Belgium's unions was unleashed this week as the enormous impact of Ford's drastic axing of its Genk plant became clear.

THE WEEK THAT WAS: Ford Europe wields the axe

26 October 2012

As you'd expect, our coverage of Ford's major restructuring announcements dominated the news on just-auto.com this week, and print and electronic coverage nationwide and in Belgium.

UK: Ford flags up extra engine jobs despite union flak

26 October 2012

Ford of Europe said it would add new engines and increase staff at its Bridgend, Wales, plant despite coming under a barrage of fire from UK unions following its decision to drastically end British vehicle production and associated stamping and tooling operations.

UK: Ford praises Turkey capacity as Transit Southampton axed

25 October 2012

Ford of Europe is emphasising capacity utilisation as one of the prime drivers behind its decision today (25 October) to close its Transit plant at Southampton, UK.

BELGIUM: Ford hits back at Genk union claims of inked deal

25 October 2012

Ford of Europe has hit back at Belgian unions which claimed to have signed a deal with the automaker to keep production at the now-doomed Genk plant.

GERMANY: Ford confirms Southampton closure; Dagenham tooling and stamping going too

25 October 2012

Ford has confirmed it will close its Southampton Transit plant in southern England and also axe stamping and tooling operations at its Dagenham complex, east of London.

BELGIUM: ACV union to evaluate if Genk deal was "worthless"

25 October 2012

Ford's largest union at its doomed Genk plant says it will examine the agreement it maintains it signed with the US automaker a few weeks ago and which it believed would see continued production at the Belgian plant.

BELGIUM: Genk under "siege" as unions plot united Ford action

25 October 2012

Ford unions in Belgium say they have put the automaker's Genk plant under "siege" as anger continues to mount following the manufacturer's decision to completely shut the site with 4,300 job losses.

UK: Ford thought to announce Southampton Transit plant closure today

25 October 2012

On a day (25 October) the UK government announced some positive growth in the recession-hit economy, Ford is widely expected to announce the closure of its Transit chassis cab-producing plant in the UK port of Southampton later.

BELGIUM: Employer body Agoria estimates Ford Genk closure to shave GDP by 0.3%, cost 9,500 jobs

24 October 2012

Belgian employer and technology body, Agoria, is estimating today's (24 October) news from Ford it is to shutter its Genk plant could cost a possible 9,500 jobs, will slash the country's GDP by 0.3% and affect 40 suppliers.

COMMENT: Ford's Genk closure highlights the scale of Europe's crisis

24 October 2012

The decision by Ford to close its Genk manufacturing plant underscores the problem faced by volume car players in Western Europe's declining car market. The problem, in a nutshell, is matching supply with demand in a market that is more than 20% off where it was in 2007.