Ford's Swaythling Transit plant is losing money (From Daily Echo)

Ford's Swaythling Transit plant is losing money

5:02pm Friday 28th November 2008 in

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THE SOUTHAMPTON plant is losing money and things have to change.

This was the bombshell the head of Ford Europe John Fleming delivered when he met with MPs for top-level talks about the future of the company today.

He said jobs were "very likely" to go but the company hoped that because of the age structure of the workforce it would be through voluntary redundancies, retraining and natural attrition.

He reiterated Ford's claim that it was committed to a long-term future in the city but added the only way he could see that being possible was by slashing output from 75,000 vehicles to just 35,000 chassis cabs and exporting production of the iconic Transit to Turkey.

He went on to say the retooling costs were high, the factory was running at a loss and things were made worse by the global downturn.

Liberal Democrat MP for Romsey, Sandra Gidley, said: "I was surprised at how direct he was and he told us that company could not expect anything more from the Southampton workers whose hard work they valued.

"We now have a much better understanding with Ford and the bosses know that we will do whatever we can to save jobs. He said the figures on job losses were being worked out but they hoped to retrain some employees and would do all they could to avoid redundancies."

Lib Dem MP for Eastleigh , Chris Huhne, said: "He has given a guarantee that the company will continue to have a presence at Swaythling and at least half the 1,100 jobs will be saved.

"I asked what chance there was that the company's American management would reject his plan and he told us that had never happened in the past."

Labour MP for Southampton Test, Alan Whitehead, said: “This is limited good news, insofar as there will definitely still be a Ford plant operating to some extent after 2011 but it is far cry from the production levels of the plant in the past.

“I hope over the next month or so we can work with Ford and the Government to see how this guarantee can be built on to protect as many jobs in Southampton as possible.”

A Ford spokesman said the company would not be commenting on today's meetings with unions this morning and MPs this afternoon but an employee bulletin would be sent out in a few days.