Manufacturing volumes of the Ford Focus may very well be slashed, because the American automotive big is reportedly planning to considerably cut back output at its plant in Germany.
The manufacturing facility in Saarlouis, which presently produces the usual Focus and the recent Ford Focus ST, will see manufacturing lowered after 29 August, reported Automotive Information Europe (ANE).
The long-term way forward for the plant, which opened in 1970, can be unsure, mentioned ANE, with a call on the course of the manufacturing facility anticipated to be introduced by the top of June.
Simply final yr, Ford closed all of its factories in India after 27 years. The yr earlier than, it shut its engine plant in Bridgend, Wales, with 1700 jobs going.
Ford Saarlouis works council chairman Markus Thal advised the publication this mooted manufacturing reduce will increase fears of main worker lay-offs in Germany. Some 6190 staff are presently concerned in Focus manufacturing at Saarlouis.
These issues have been compounded after Ford selected to speculate £1.59 billion into its Cologne manufacturing facility, the place it presently builds the Fiesta, as an alternative of its Saarlouis one, as a part of a wide-reaching electrification offensive in Europe.
Ford advised Autocar no official announcement has but been made concerning the manufacturing facility’s future.
The closures can be one other blow for the Focus, which has misplaced its long-held place within the listing of Europe’s best-selling automobiles as Ford diverts provide of scarce elements to extra well-liked fashions, such because the Ford Puma crossover, in gentle of the continuing provide chain disaster.
In April, simply 5000 Focus fashions have been bought, in contrast with 10,000 the yr earlier than, Jato Dynamics figures present. The equally sized however higher-riding Puma, alternatively, is without doubt one of the continent’s top-selling automobiles, promoting nearly 13,000 fashions in the identical month this yr.