FabSwingers.com > Forums > Politics > Ford closing down - 1700 jobs to go

Ford closing down - 1700 jobs to go

Jump to: Newest in thread

By *ara J OP TV/TS over a year ago

Bristol East

Bridgend. According to Sky News

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *illwill69uMan over a year ago

moston

But nothing to do with leaving the largest single trading block in the world...

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *abioMan over a year ago

Newcastle and Gateshead

"Bridgend. According to Sky News"

you should have put this in the thread pat started.... hhhm.... that gives me an idea....

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *oodmessMan over a year ago

yumsville

I don't know how 2500 assembly workers can make 125,000 engines and think they are indefinitely going to be employed. This is Ford - a production freight train, it should have been investing in or at least making electric/alt fuel vehicles by now. Apart from Volvo, I can't see one major car manufacturer making any firm steps away from petrol/diesel fuelled cars.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *oi_LucyCouple over a year ago

Barbados

"I don't know how 2500 assembly workers can make 125,000 engines and think they are indefinitely going to be employed. This is Ford - a production freight train, it should have been investing in or at least making electric/alt fuel vehicles by now. Apart from Volvo, I can't see one major car manufacturer making any firm steps away from petrol/diesel fuelled cars. "

What do you mean? Ford have already publicly stated they will have 40 electricity models by 2022.

-Matt

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

They will have no choice but to comply with new legislation

They might try fight it but that would only put them behind every other car manufacturer

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"Bridgend. According to Sky News"
Hardly unexpected especially as the car market is saturated and sales have peaked. What matters are overall job numbers in the UK. Unemployment is at a record low and those being made redundant night welcome the severance pay which is tax free .

All companies have to 're organise from time to time ..

Have you ever thought of posting anything positive or do you prefer to be a merchant of doom and gloom ?

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *oi_LucyCouple over a year ago

Barbados

"Bridgend. According to Sky News Hardly unexpected especially as the car market is saturated and sales have peaked. What matters are overall job numbers in the UK. Unemployment is at a record low and those being made redundant night welcome the severance pay which is tax free .

All companies have to 're organise from time to time ..

Have you ever thought of posting anything positive or do you prefer to be a merchant of doom and gloom ? "

I thought (under one of your many previous profiles) you kept harping on about how car sales were increasing and all was good in the motor industry?

-Matt

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *oodmessMan over a year ago

yumsville

What do you mean? Ford have already publicly stated they will have 40 electricity models by 2022.

-Matt"

Making an announcement and having them on the ground is a different matter. Putting 40 different vehicles out in 2 years is going to be a very hard task. I don't think they have one on the road now. I thought they were going to cut all small car production and focus on commercial vehicles, which is why this closure isn't so surprising.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *oodmessMan over a year ago

yumsville

They will have no choice but to comply with new legislation

They might try fight it but that would only put them behind every other car manufacturer "

Yeah - now fiat have teamed up with renault you wonder how long they'll be carbon offsetting with Tesla.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *oodmessMan over a year ago

yumsville

All companies have to 're organise from time to time ..

Have you ever thought of posting anything positive or do you prefer to be a merchant of doom and gloom ? "

How about posting something factual like it's nothing about peak and saturation and something more about availability, affordability, infrastructure, practicality and upswing.

Job creation has nothing to do with skilled assembly workers made redundant in plants that are going to need vast amounts or re-training in other industries that are not remotely near their field of employment.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *ara J OP TV/TS over a year ago

Bristol East

"What matters are overall job numbers in the UK. "

I'm sure the people of Bridgend appreciate your empathy.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *ercuryMan over a year ago

Grantham

You also forgot to mention the 4000 jobs going at Volkswagen in Germany.

Bridgend hasn't got a viable product and closure has been on the cards for a year now.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *abioMan over a year ago

Newcastle and Gateshead

Yeah - now fiat have teamed up with renault you wonder how long they'll be carbon offsetting with Tesla."

telsa has been ripe for a takeover for years, you wonder who will eventually just bite the bullet and do it.....

the day that the US (not just california.. which already is) eventually puts into law the same emission standards that the EU is... they will snap them up it gets the global head start

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *igsteve43Man over a year ago

derby

Although i am sure the official annoncement will confirm the plants closure and timescale for such , could we maybe wait till we know all the details before starting threads?

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"But nothing to do with leaving the largest single trading block in the world...

OK, well let's look at it.

Bridgend produces Diesel engines, as does Dagenham.

Diesels have become incredibly unpopular and Automakers are under pressure to move away from Internal combustion engines alltogether.

There are massive changes happening in the car industry that have absolutely nothing to do with Brexit, but of course, Remoaners love to claim otherwise.

Ford have been moving production out of the UK for decades.

I remember taking a school tour of Dagenham when Ford were producing Fiesta and Sierra there.

When Sierra was facelifted in 87, Ford stopped building them in Dagenham.

Fiesta production ceased around 2002 I think, with the plant closing.

Halewood used to produce all sorts of vehicles. When Ford bought Jaguar, Escort production ceased there and it became a Jaguar factory.

And in 2013, Ford moved production of Transit - the last vehicle still built in the UK by the company, to Turkey.

All before we even had David Cameron pledging to hold a referendum.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

All companies have to 're organise from time to time ..

Have you ever thought of posting anything positive or do you prefer to be a merchant of doom and gloom ?

I thought (under one of your many previous profiles) you kept harping on about how car sales were increasing and all was good in the motor industry?

-Matt"
In the past yes . However due to the availability of cheap lease deals the market was flooded with new car sales and it was inevitable that sales would drop off . 2016 sales levels were unsustainable.

The market has now turned against diesel which hardly helps.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"Bridgend. According to Sky News"
It is a pity that you did not make your statement a little more accurate . The closure is not yet announced. All that is currently happening is that the Unite Union has been called to a meeting to morrow.

Ford are making job cuts throughout the world, not just the UK.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *oi_LucyCouple over a year ago

Barbados

All companies have to 're organise from time to time ..

Have you ever thought of posting anything positive or do you prefer to be a merchant of doom and gloom ?

I thought (under one of your many previous profiles) you kept harping on about how car sales were increasing and all was good in the motor industry?

-Matt In the past yes . However due to the availability of cheap lease deals the market was flooded with new car sales and it was inevitable that sales would drop off . 2016 sales levels were unsustainable.

The market has now turned against diesel which hardly helps."

Ie what everyone on here told you was likely to happen.

-Matt

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

All companies have to 're organise from time to time ..

Have you ever thought of posting anything positive or do you prefer to be a merchant of doom and gloom ?

I thought (under one of your many previous profiles) you kept harping on about how car sales were increasing and all was good in the motor industry?

The market has now turned against diesel which hardly helps.

Ie what everyone on here told you was likely to happen.

-Matt"
Hi. I cannot remember any poster on here predicting what future lay in store for the motor industry . I suspect that experts in the motor industry would be unlikely to posting on here .

One poster who used to run his own dealership in second-hand cars and is now involved in property management commented on the availability of cheap lease cars and the impact on manufacturers profitability.

No one rings a bell at the top of the market and not many people can predict the turning point. There are two many unknown factors .

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *asyukMan over a year ago

West London

All companies have to 're organise from time to time ..

Have you ever thought of posting anything positive or do you prefer to be a merchant of doom and gloom ?

I thought (under one of your many previous profiles) you kept harping on about how car sales were increasing and all was good in the motor industry?

The market has now turned against diesel which hardly helps."

So when you posted that UK automotive sales were doing so well, even though the figures said otherwise, was that good news or bad news?

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

All companies have to 're organise from time to time ..

Have you ever thought of posting anything positive or do you prefer to be a merchant of doom and gloom ?

I thought (under one of your many previous profiles) you kept harping on about how car sales were increasing and all was good in the motor industry?

The market has now turned against diesel which hardly helps.

So when you posted that UK automotive sales were doing so well, even though the figures said otherwise, was that good news or bad news?

"
Vehicle sales are a specific measurable quantity . Factors that might need to be taken in consideration are vehicles pre registered by dealers and profitability per unit sale.

The years from 2014 and 2016 were a boom period for manufacturers .

However no one rings a bell at the top of the market.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *asyukMan over a year ago

West London

All companies have to 're organise from time to time ..

Have you ever thought of posting anything positive or do you prefer to be a merchant of doom and gloom ?

I thought (under one of your many previous profiles) you kept harping on about how car sales were increasing and all was good in the motor industry?

The market has now turned against diesel which hardly helps.

So when you posted that UK automotive sales were doing so well, even though the figures said otherwise, was that good news or bad news?

Vehicle sales are a specific measurable quantity . Factors that might need to be taken in consideration are vehicles pre registered by dealers and profitability per unit sale.

The years from 2014 and 2016 were a boom period for manufacturers .

However no one rings a bell at the top of the market."

Except that you were talking about 2018 and you have specifically said that a sales glut has contributed to the problem now.

Which is it? Are increased sales to be applauded or warned against?

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *avidnsa69Man over a year ago

Essex

"Bridgend. According to Sky News It is a pity that you did not make your statement a little more accurate . The closure is not yet announced. All that is currently happening is that the Unite Union has been called to a meeting to morrow.

Ford are making job cuts throughout the world, not just the UK. "

The factory will be closed by September 2020...so they union werent meeting for a chat, a cup of tea and a slice of cake

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *ara J OP TV/TS over a year ago

Bristol East

Whatever the reasons, it's fair to say the automotive industry is in a troubled state at the mo.

It is a big part of our relatively small manufacturing base.

Where are the politicians championing its cause, speaking with the CEOs, putting in place Government plans to help it adjust and thrive?

The reality is leadership in Government has become utterly consumed by Brexit.

No new policies, no new initiatives, no new anything.

And if you thought Government was dysfunctional before, it will be quite simply dead for the summer while we endure Ministers abandoning the day job to take part in the Conservative Party beauty parade.

Whatever else I think of Trump, he would not be sitting on his hands while the US car industry collapsed in front of his eyes.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *avidnsa69Man over a year ago

Essex

"Whatever the reasons, it's fair to say the automotive industry is in a troubled state at the mo.

It is a big part of our relatively small manufacturing base.

Where are the politicians championing its cause, speaking with the CEOs, putting in place Government plans to help it adjust and thrive?

The reality is leadership in Government has become utterly consumed by Brexit.

No new policies, no new initiatives, no new anything.

Whatever else I think of Trump, he would not be sitting on his hands while the US car industry collapsed in front of his eyes.

Never fear, South wales will be entitled to massive injections of EU Regional Development funding.....oh, er, bugger

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *adame 2SwordsWoman over a year ago

Victoria, London

Apart from the electric market, the car industry is shrinking. The only thing that stops the electric market, is the lack of investment in the infrastructure. My factory (I'm only temping) 1000 people have just received their redundancy notices, work moving to China.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *evil_u_knowMan over a year ago

city

There are actually a bunch of reasons for this.

1) current battery technology relies on dictators in Africa.

2) Batteries that do not rely on african dictators are patented by companies like panasonic, so they would all have to use the same batteries as tesla.

3) New battery tech is on the horizon which would make electric cars a lot better.

Basically they are not happy with the current tech, they wanted to wait for the new batteries, but they are being pushed into it.

If tesla hadnt forced the issue, there would be no electric cars, and then one day electric cars that take 5 mins to charge would just hit the market.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *evil_u_knowMan over a year ago

city

When the UK now says they will move to protect the ford plant in wales, Ford used to read it as "They will save the European plant in britain", now they read it as "They will try save the british plant in britain"

they are obviously two drastically different statements. Like Nissan/Toyota and the other Japan companies, they no longer have European protection in the UK, and the EU told them that since brexit they can just import direct from Japan. Nissan announces its new Hybrid will be made directly in Japan. It's directly because of brexit because the UK just can not tell Nissan, build them here or you wont get them into the EU anymore.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"When the UK now says they will move to protect the ford plant in wales, Ford used to read it as "They will save the European plant in britain", now they read it as "They will try save the british plant in britain"

The EU didn’t say, because of brexit you can import directly to EU, it’s because of the new free trade agreement.

Nothing to do with brexit, it was happening anyway.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *anejohnkent6263Couple over a year ago

canterbury

Electric cars as much use as a one legged man at an arse kicking contest.....

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *evil_u_knowMan over a year ago

city

"The EU didn’t say, because of brexit you can import directly to EU, it’s because of the new free trade agreement.

Nothing to do with brexit, it was happening anyway."

During the Canada - EU trade deal any country could block it, which resulted in canada having to appease smaller countries to get it through.

The japan deal was not "always coming", 99% of the serious negotiations took place after the UK triggered brexit.

The Japan deal was agreed in principle in 2017 a year after brexit, and passed in 2018 2 years after brexit, and came into force 2019 when brexit was supposed to be finished.

Both parties rushed the agreement directly in response to brexit.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *oodmessMan over a year ago

yumsville

There are actually a bunch of reasons for this.

1) current battery technology relies on dictators in Africa.

2) Batteries that do not rely on african dictators are patented by companies like panasonic, so they would all have to use the same batteries as tesla.

3) New battery tech is on the horizon which would make electric cars a lot better.

Basically they are not happy with the current tech, they wanted to wait for the new batteries, but they are being pushed into it.

If tesla hadnt forced the issue, there would be no electric cars, and then one day electric cars that take 5 mins to charge would just hit the market."

Lithium is mostly sourced in South America - there are plenty of suppliers. Lg Chem, Johnson Matthey were producing before being bought off, Samsung are making moves, as are Dyson (supposedly), BYD in China are a bit of a big deal, Tesla have just cut it's contract with panasonic I believe, though spaces for smaller companies like Rimac are gaining a footing.

Batteries have been around since the Prius, Ford and others have had long enough to move them into more mainstream cars. A BMW I8 isn't an option for most people.

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

By *ercuryMan over a year ago

Grantham

There are actually a bunch of reasons for this.

1) current battery technology relies on dictators in Africa.

2) Batteries that do not rely on african dictators are patented by companies like panasonic, so they would all have to use the same batteries as tesla.

3) New battery tech is on the horizon which would make electric cars a lot better.

Basically they are not happy with the current tech, they wanted to wait for the new batteries, but they are being pushed into it.

If tesla hadnt forced the issue, there would be no electric cars, and then one day electric cars that take 5 mins to charge would just hit the market."

Australia is the biggest supplier of Lithium. China is number three.

Chile, China, Argentina and Portugal all feature in the top ten.

Not sure what the relevance of "African Dictators", is?

Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote or View forums list

» Add a new message to this topic