Ford announced earlier this week that it would be shuttering its Bridgend engine plant and letting all 1,700 workers go. The first workers at the plant will be let go starting on September 25th, 2020. The British government has now announced that it is working closely with Ford, trade unions, and other stakeholders on the closure of the factory.
A government spokesman confirmed that it was working with Ford and others Thursday and stated that the closure of the plant was “very worrying for the dedicated workforce.” The spokesman also said that Ford was committed to supporting the employees at the factory throughout the consulting phase and beyond.
Ford has committed to redeploying some of the terminated workers at other Ford sites in the UK. The spokesman also stated that Ford has “reaffirmed” its commitment to other facilities in the UK. Ford’s announced closure of the Bridgend engine plant is the latest in a serious of significant changes it is making globally to improve profits. It said that falling demand for the engines built at the plant was the reason for the closure and denied that Brexit had anything to do with its decision. Ford also said that the absence of additional engine models for the Bridgend engine plant was part of the decision to close the plant.
Ford Europe confirmed that it would have to repay £11m in incentives that were extended to it by the Welsh government. Ford Europe president Stuart Rowley said that Ford had to make “difficult decisions” to make its operations sustainable for vehicles it will produce in the future. Ford said in February that more than 7,000 jobs in the UK were at risk in a no-deal Brexit scenario.
Subscribe to Ford Authority for around-the-clock Ford news coverage.
Source: Reuters
No Comments yet