Ford Genk’s largest union says the US automaker will pump EUR750m-EUR800m (US$979m) into the plant in an 18-month programme that will see the Mondeo, S-Max and Galaxy models built in Belgium.
News of the decision to award all three vehicles to Genk came from a meeting this morning (19 September) with new Ford vice president manufacturing for Ford of Europe, Jeff Wood and caps a period of fevered speculation that has seen rumours none, part or all of the models would be continued at the plant.
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“He [Wood] told us in Ford planning, those two other models were S-Max, scheduled for October, 2014 and and the Galaxy for November, 2014,” ABVV spokesman, Rohny Champagne, told just-auto from Belgium.
“About saving costs plans and restructuring plans, he could only tell us Ford was asking all its plants, not only in Europe but worldwide to try and spend as little as possible. No-one mentioned to us there will be jobs lost.”
Ford Genk is a huge employer in the Limburg region with 4,500 staff on site and 1,500 more working for Tier 1 suppliers using a conveyor system for supply. A further 800 employees are involved at Tier 2 suppliers.
“The talks were not always so easy and so friendly, but the result matters and the result is our agreement that will finally be put into action in 2013,” said Champagne.
“Negotiations are always tough because on the other side of the table there are guys willing to make as much profit as possible and we have to the task to make sure we have new models and work.”
The socialist ABVV union represents between 17,000 and 18,000 metalworkers in Belgium.
The labour body adds it has agreed to deliver 12% savings costs – an achievement that has already been in place for the past year and a half.
