The European division of the American automaker Ford plans to lay off a four-digit number of people, i.e. at least a thousand, from its headquarters and factory in Cologne. This was reported by Automobilwoche magazine, citing sources inside the automaker.
The company in Europe is creating a new business structure as part of the gradual transition to the production and sale of exclusively electric cars. Part of that is a four-digit job cut, according to sources. It has already announced that it wants to be completely electric in Europe by 2030.
Jobs will be cut both in car assembly and the production of engines and transmissions, as well as in development, administration and the sales department. It is speculated that this will significantly affect the technical center in Merkenich near Cologne. But it may also apply to other places in Europe.
These include factories in Valencia, Spain, where the automaker plans to produce electric cars, in Saarlouis, Germany, Dagenham and Halewood, Britain, Craiova, Romania, and Kocaeli, Turkey. In addition to Merkenich, the technical and development centers are also in Dunton in the UK and Aachen in Germany, and Ford has a test site in the Belgian town of Lommel.
It is not known at this time in what time frame the cancellation of those places should take place. The automaker did not comment on the reports, but said the switch to electric cars will force a “significant change” in the way it makes cars.
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