French union hopes an offer for the troubled Ford Aquitaine Industries (FAI) transmission site at Blanquefort near Bordeaux could be accepted by the US manufacturer, appear to have been dashed.
France’s Finance Minister, Bruno Le Maire recently said Belgian component producer, Punch Powerglide had made a new offer for Ford’s site which could have secured around 400 of the 850 jobs, but a hefty dose of cold water seems to have been now administered to the proposal.
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The US manufacturer put Ford Acquitaine Industries (FAI) up for sale threatening nearly 900 jobs and after rejecting an initial offer from Punch, it appears it has also turned down the second offer, although it declines to say it came from Punch Powerglide.
“Last December, Ford confirmed it had decided against pursuing a sale to the potential purchaser most interested in acquiring the FAI site,” said a Ford statement sent to just-auto.
“That situation remains unchanged; Ford has not accepted the latest third-party offer. Ford continues to be focused on seeking approval of the social plan, so we can provide employees the certainty and clarity that they need to plan for their futures.”
The issue has travelled rapidly up the political food chain in France with the Finance Minister taking a personal role in trying to find a buyer for the plant and doling out some particularly harsh criticism of the American company, accusing it of ‘cowardice.’
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By GlobalDataReports circulating in France indicate Le Maire will meet French unions involved at Blanquefort this afternoon in Paris, as the issue has taken on a wider totemic hue given the difficulties experienced by the diesel sector in general and the move to electric vehicle manufacture.
“I am determined to find a viable takeover solution for the Ford Blanquefort site,” said Le Maire recently.
“There is not a lot of time left to do it. I will therefore put all my energy alongside employees and regional authorities, to give the Punch project every chance.”
French union, CGT Métallurgie insists Ford has never taken any interest in a takeover offer from Punch and claims the US automaker regarded Blanquefort as its most productive in Europe.
“Ford…must not quit French soil leaving thousands of people in social distress,” said a recent CGT statement. “Liberal policies in the service of finance must be reversed if we want to avoid industrial deserts.
“For the CGT, there is no inevitability, social and economic responsibility must be framed by the law. The State must put in place other takeover candidates; the State must intervene through a shareholding or a nationalisation of the site.
“The CGT supports the struggle of Ford employees.”
The US automaker previously noted it had presented a “comprehensive social plan including extensive redeployment leave” starting in October, 2019, a favourable early retirement programme and repositioning within GFT, together with measures to help employees relocate with new employers or pursue new career opportunities, such as business creation or reconversion training.
