Ford to cut 12,000 jobs across Europe by end of 2020

UK, Germany and Russia to be hardest hit as car manufacturer swings axe

Ford will cut more than a fifth of its workforce across European operations by the end of 2020 as part of a sweeping restructuring plan aimed at reviving its business on the continent.

The company will close six of its 24 European factories, affecting about 12,000 jobs, with the UK, Germany and Russia the hardest hit by the cuts.

Among the factories to close is Ford’s engine plant at Bridgend in south Wales, along with a transmission plant in France and three Russian sites.

Ford will also reduce shifts at assembly plants in Saarlouis, Germany, and Valencia, Spain.

In January, the US car manufacturer said it would make major changes in Europe, a region in which it has long struggled to maintain profitability.

On Wednesday it promised to provide support to ease the impact of job cuts and plant closures on communities.

Of the 12,000 staff to lose their jobs, 3,000 are located in the UK, with the majority of those in Bridgend.

“Ford will be a more targeted business in Europe, consistent with the company’s global redesign, generating higher returns through our focus on customer needs and a lean structure,” said Stuart Rowley, president of Ford of Europe.

“Our future is rooted in electrification,” he added. “We are electrifying across our portfolio, providing all of our customers with more accessible vehicle options that are fun to drive, have improved fuel economy and are better for our environment.”

Car makers are facing a catalogue of problems including falling demand in the UK due to uncertainty around Brexit, diesel emissions regulations, a switch to electric vehicles and a slowdown in key markets such as China.