Ford will increase European production of cars and vans by more than 34,000 this year due to rising demand.

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“It is expected that the total Ford production volume for the full year 2004 will grow and exceed the level of 1,550,000 achieved in 2003,” Ford Europe said in a statement cited by Reuters.


The news agency said Ford’s Focus and Focus C MAX brands would account for the biggest increase, with more than 11,200 extra units, while Fiesta and Fusion production will increase by 7,500 and there will be also an extra 5,000 Mondeo cars. Production of the new Transit Connect small van will increase by 7,000 units.


According to Reuters, Ford said it would increase production mainly via weekend staffing and a higher daily production rate.


“Basically what we are seeing is what we had hoped this year, which is a little bit of strengthening of the market and certainly continued strong demand for our products,” Ford of Europe spokesman Niel Golightly told the news agency, adding: “We are very confident that the earnings prediction that Ford of Europe put out is something that we are very much on track to hit.”

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Ford reportedly said in January it aimed to narrow its 2004 loss in Europe by more than $900 million to $100-200 million thanks to a slightly stronger market and significant cost cuts.


“This is absolutely a good sign,”said Michael Raab, an automotive analyst at Bank Sal Oppenheim in Frankfurt told Reuters, adding Ford would have done well just to hold output steady given the lack of solid rebounds that were expected in France and Germany.