Ford: 12,000 jobs in Europe will be lost

B The production sites in Bridgend (South Wales, engine plant), the transmission plant in Blanquefort, France, near Bordeaux, and three plants in Russia have been affected by the plant closings. In addition, Ford sells the Kechnec transmission plant in Slovakia to Maga. This reduces the number of Ford production sites to 18 in Europe.

12,000 jobs will be lost - not in Germany

According to Ford, 12,000 employees will be affected by the plant closings. The company relies on voluntary termination of employment. Ford currently employs more than 50,000 people in Europe, almost half of them in Germany. Around 18,000 people are employed in Cologne alone, and a further 6,000 people in Saarlouis plus a few hundred at the research center in Aachen.

As early as March 2019, it was announced that Ford is cutting 5,400 jobs in Germany, and currently around 3,200 employees are expected to be cut have left the company or are planning to accept severance pay.

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The Ford Mach E is a Mustang-inspired electric crossover model.

Ford had the Last year, Europe incurred a loss of more than 400 million euros, compared to a profit of 367 million euros in 2017. In addition to higher costs and unfavorable exchange rates, the number of Ford models that went on sale also fell by three percent. Ford's long-term goal is an EBIT margin of six percent. The company currently only earns money in its home market of the USA.

Focus on pickups and e-cars

In addition to the plant closings and layoffs, Ford is also repositioning itself in the model portfolio. The commercial vehicle business is to be expanded and the range of electric vehicles and SUVs as well as sports and imported models is to be expanded. A new one will take effect on July 1, 2019Organizational structure in effect, which extends to three business areas: commercial vehicles, passenger cars and import models.

In terms of commercial vehicles, profitability is to be doubled over the next five years, and market leadership in pickups is to be expanded. At the end of March 2019, Ford and VW signed an agreement that they want to build pickups together. The first joint project will be the successor to the Amarok, which will be created on the platform of the new Ford Ranger, which will be launched in 2020. The first Amarok generation, built since 2010, should have a successor at a similar point in time. In the future, the alliance is to be expanded to include the development of electric and autonomous vehicles as well as new mobility services.

Every Ford will be electrified

Ford plans to introduce at least three new product lines for passenger cars by 2024 and expand the SUV range including the Ford Mach E. These models are available in addition to the new Kuga, the Puma and the Explorer plug-in hybrid. Starting with the new Ford Focus, every model series is to receive an electrified drive option in the future. This applies to completely new models as well as new variants of existing models. From Fiesta to Transit, Ford will then offer each model series either with a mild hybrid, full hybrid, plug-in hybrid or a battery-electric option.