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Ford production is cut even more
8:02am Friday 3rd October 2008
Comments (8)
OUTPUT at Southampton’s Ford Transit factory has been cut again bringing the number of vehicles assembled at the plant to just 250 a day.
The new cut comes only months after the levels were slashed from 375 to 308 and follows the Swaythling plant introducing a four-day week, as revealed in Tuesday’s Daily Echo.
An insider at the plant told the Echo that the output was previously being reviewed monthly but bosses were now looking at it weekly.
He said: “There is a lot of uncertainty in the plant and we are being told that these cuts are due to shrinking orders across Europe.
“Workers are worried that if volumes get too low Turkey will swallow the whole operation and we will lose the plant that way.
Another said: “I think the company will be cutting the number of hours in a shift next.
“The chassis cabs option seems to be only one on the table and there’s no guarantee that the US bosses will even accept that.
“I think most people are resigned to whatever happens now as the workers don’t tend to get told anything useful.”
Market conditions A Ford UK spokesman said due to confidentiality he was unable to confirm all the details but added: “The output is always monitored closely so the plant can respond to changing market conditions.
“However, under the current circumstances the output would be monitored more often than usual.
“I cannot comment on the figures mentioned but the reduction levels are completely plausible.”
Workers say there are fears inside the plant that in the new year daily output will be cut again and they will be put on a three-day week, a single shift system or see a cut in the number of working hours a day.
Today also sees 124 workers on short-term contracts leaving the plant for the last time.
Ford plans to slash production from 75,000 to 35,000, cut jobs and export the manufacture of the iconic Transit van to Turkey.
If these proposals are rubber-stamped by Ford US bosses, Southampton will only produce chassis cabs.
Workers and union leaders claim a reduction on that scale would lead to the eventual closure of the plant.
Your Say YourDaily Echo
FordWorker, Southampton says...
8:29am Fri 3 Oct 08
southy, redbridge says...
10:29am Fri 3 Oct 08
what if the city bought it and use a third of the profits to help run the city.
merckxy, Eastleigh says...
1:11pm Fri 3 Oct 08
Lone Ranger wrote:It could become another chav inner city!
Thin end of the wedge boys.
Termination of this once great manufacturing plant is just around the corner. Mind you the council could build lots of flats on that land
Dr Alimantado, Babylon says...
3:57pm Fri 3 Oct 08
southy wrote:Stuck recor...stuck recor...stuck recor
the transit plant answer lays in it becoming a co-op. what if the city bought it and use a third of the profits to help run the city.
Southampton boy, Southampton says...
11:11pm Fri 3 Oct 08
Fords are not the only company losing jobs, around the country; this credit problem is hitting everyone.
But the American government are looking to help there car manufacturing i.e. Ford, GM, and other out by given them loans or money to smooth the road, it is widely understood that Turkey is given Fords money to help them build in Turkey, the EU is not helping by allowing Turkey to ship goods into the EU cheaply.
As the actor in Dads Army kept on saying “Were all DOOM I tell you: All DOOM”
Adrian Smith, Planet Earth says...
8:33am Sat 4 Oct 08
southy wrote:A third of what profit?
the transit plant answer lays in it becoming a co-op. what if the city bought it and use a third of the profits to help run the city.
southy, redbridge says...
1:05pm Sat 4 Oct 08
southampton plant makes £315 million in a single year,Ford europe takes over 1 billion in sales every year,and in the last nine quarter,s fords europe have been making record profits.words from Stephen Odell, CFO
Southampton boy, Southampton,
Turkey is subject to the UK and EU anti-flooding laws,How the anti-flooding laws work it puts a variable import duty tax on all items that are or can be produce in the EU,(exceptions are food and raw items like coal iron ore ect)As gent plant in belguim can produce the transit too and has done in the pass when extra vans are needed,If fords do close the transit plant down in southampton the vacuum it make.s will be quickly filled by the other van,s of the same size and type IE:- LDV,citroen,peugeot,
vw,mercedes,iveco, vauhall and the second largest seller renault and other europians made vans.
FLASHBACK: Production line workers fear there could be job cuts.
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Lone Ranger, Southampton says...
8:19am Fri 3 Oct 08
Termination of this once great manufacturing plant is just around the corner. Mind you the council could build lots of flats on that land