Senior Belgian union sources say Ford Europe will confirm imminently its intention to assemble the successors to the Galaxy and S-MAX models at its Genk plant.
The two current model lines are due to end production in 2014, having been launched in 2006.
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A frenzied round of union activity saw labour bodies travel immediately to Cologne following speculation surrounding the entire future of the Genk plant but it now appears certain Ford will confirm both models’ futures as well as its intention to assemble the Mondeo in Belgium from October, 2013.
“There has been a meeting this morning with Jeff Wood [vice president manufacturing Europe] – he confirmed there will be two more models for Genk, the successor of the Galaxy and S-Max,” ABVV-FGTB cabinet staff member, Rudi Kennes told just-auto from Belgium. “This will be announced in 30 minutes [CET: 14:00] – there will be a statement from the union and it will say what I say now.
“Jeff Wood visited the [Genk] plant this morning and had a separate meeting with the unions. This is all going much, much faster than we expected. This is in fact, good [work] from the unions – they played ball and it is an excellent result.
“The unions went to Cologne immediately – came back with empty hands – management reacted quite well and there has been a bit of playing with politics as lobbying is something you do behind the scenes. Let’s give credit to all parties.”
News of the Mondeo’s survival – which unions say came from Ford’s production strategy board last night (18 September)- will come as great relief but it has been delayed six months to October next year.
What is clear is the Flemish government in Belgium – believed to have committed EUR28m (US$36m) to Ford Genk – will be closely following the US automaker’s plans after its bitter experience of General Motors’ closure of its Antwerp plant at the end of 2010 which threw more than a thousand people out of work.
Ford’s suppliers to Genk – mostly based on site – will also breathe more easily as will the Limburg region in Belgium so badly affected by mine closures
“There have been revised timing date[s] for the [Mondeo] production débuts in Genk,” a Ford spokesman told just-auto from Belgium. “Initially, it was April/May, 2013 and it is a six-month delay.
“Ford Europe is working on a plan to save costs and they try to look at every part of the business. Given the difficulties of Ford Europe, we exclude nothing.”
The automaker conceded the Flemish government had asked it “several times” during the past few months what was the lastest situation at Genk.
“It is good news for the region and for the Flemish government because they gave all this taxpayers’ money,” said Kennes.
