Punch Powerglide is resolutely declining to discuss why its two bids for Ford Aquitaine Industries’ transmission plant at Blanquefort near Bordeaux collapsed, leaving a distinctly gloomy future for the 850 employees at the plant in South West France.
A titanic battle has raged during the last few weeks involving a triumvirate of unions, backed by the power of the French State in the form of Finance Minister, Bruno Le Maire, but even this conglomerate has failed to move Ford to change its mind.
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France is facing something of a traditional manufacturing crisis at present with a host of industries struggling to adapt to new trends especially as the move away from diesel to alternative propulsion continues to gain significant momentum – with dire consequences for often middle aged and blue collar workers who may find it hard to adapt – or find new work.
The French Finance Minister has consistently lauded Punch’s offer, but a call by just-auto to the company at its Strasbourg office to understand the US manufacturer’s reluctance to put pen to paper, was abruptly terminated with the rejoinder it did not wish to make any comment.
Le Maire said Punch’s offer could have secured around 400 of the 850 posts at Blanquefort, but Ford, despite consistently declining to confirm Punch as a potential takeover suitor, has robustly stood its ground when it comes to the Belgian component producer’s approaches.
The three unions; Force Ouvrière (FO), CFE-CGC and Confédération Générale du Travail (CGT), have teamed in an ‘Intersynidcal’ to speak with one voice to Ford and Paris, but have gradually been marginalised as the issue essentially boils down to a straight fight between FAI and the French government.
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By GlobalDataNonetheless, the three issued a joint statement sent to just-auto by Force Ouvrière in Blanquefort, one laced with considerable anger at the situation, but also striking a note of defiance the plant still had a future..
“We express our deepest sadness at this outcome, but also our strongest anger,” said the statement.
“From our side we have done everything necessary to give the best chance of a takeover by accepting major social setbacks after very long hours of negotiations.
All these efforts are today reduced to nothing, even though we believed in the indisputable commitment of the State and in the promises of the potential buyer. But, despite this immense disappointment, we refuse this is the end of the story of our factory.
“We still believe it is possible to maintain automatic transmission production at the heart of our plant, if the State and regional authorities as well as Punch have strong will and agree on an industrial vision.”
