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I don’t think they will be in the UK for that much longer
Sad news for the workers and surrounding area.
The legislation to phase out / reduce diesel engines and a downturn in the global market is mainly the cause I suspect.
BBC says there will be offers of redeployment but no indication of what that means.
It's a sad state, Ford represents a huge part of Bridgend (town and county).
Sadly it seems it's a kind of job that's just not around any more. It was hard to get in, I know of people who applied 2/3 years before they started and they didn't mess around with employing people. A friend was offered a job there, resigned from his job, 3 days before his start date he had his offer pulled. He'd applied saying he'd taken 2 days sick in the previous 12 months, in actual fact it was 3. They're cut-off was 2 and that was is.
But the money was good, average salary of £45k a year for factory work? Plus perks, they could buy a new Ford at a huge discount every 2 years.
Maybe that's the problem, the type of engines they made was end of life the 1.6 Ecoboost is 10 years old, The V8 they made for JLR / Volvo and formed the basis of the Aston V8 stopped production a few years ago. So they were looking at a big investment for retooling.
Spend all that money in a plant that has an average salary of £45k that in a country that has no idea what it's import/export status will be in 5 months or invest in a country with a cheaper workforce that's more stable?
Very sad for the workers.
I hate to say it but this is part of what us remoaners were concerned about, Global manufacturing businesses (like the automotive industry) would pulling out of the UK due to uncertainty and the potential for new trade tariffs...
But "told you so" is not really very comforting now is it.
Let's hope Fords redeployment, retraining and government efforts to stimulate new employment actually come to something.
Isn’t it more to do with “B” than just leaving the area?
🤷♂️
+cookeaa
The legislation to phase out / reduce diesel engines and a downturn in the global market is mainly the cause I suspect.
They've used that reason a lot, but oddly I'm pretty certain they don't make diesels in Bridgend. They made the 1.6 Ecoboost 4 pot and I've just read the brand new 1.5 3 pot EcoBoost, which is pretty much cutting edge.
So much for "it's diesel, not Brexit eh?"
Ford don't make diesel engines at the Bridgend plant. The bosses warned three years ago that closure was highly likely due to weaker sterling making the factory financially unviable. I wonder which way Bridgend voted in the referendum?
P-Jay, just looked up the new 1.5 ecoboost, seems the bridgend plant only started making it at the end of last year after £1mil investment.
"The fact remains that it is cheaper, easier and quicker to sack our workers than those in our competitor countries,"
And expect it to get easier after Brexit, boys.
<edit: too slow>
@bikebouy - I suspect the short term reasons are as noted above: reduced demand for both diesel engines and general global demand. Longer term businesses like certainty to help with planning so Brexit will be a larger factor due to both the gaping void that is the government's direction and the likelihood of tariffs where previously there were none.
Sadly I don't think it will the last "trans national" manufacturer to up sticks. Sticking with car manufacturers, trade deals like that between the EU and Japan are such that a percentage of the car, including parts, must be manufactured in the EU. Because of this the UK can export Jaguars, Land Rovers, etc. to Japan. Once we leave, we can't because while we assemble the cars here most of the parts come from the rest of the EU. So we'll have to negotiate a trade deal with Japan and goodness knows how long that will take.
Longer term businesses like certainty
Risk costs money, in short.
Brexit will make it more difficult for any international business to work here - it's easy to see the logical conclusion.
But don't worry, we'll have a trade deal with the US all wrapped up in no time, and they definitely won't stiff us. Not even a tiny little bit.
I wonder which way Bridgend voted in the referendum?
Sorry but I dislike the inference there that in some way those who voted for Brexit are those who most "deserve" to feel it's bite...
As it turns out Bridgend was a close reflection of the overall UK result voting 54% Leave. But I don't think that is in any way significant TBH...
Fair play to Ford not sticking a paddle in shit creek and saying, "if you vote leave we're likely to pull the plug". They allowed democracy it's say first.
Sorry but I dislike the inference there that in some way those who voted for Brexit are those who most “deserve” to feel it’s bite…
Why on earth not? Seems eminently fair to me.
They voted to make the country poorer, more than happy for them to shoulder as much of it as possible. Likewise I'd prefer if it cuts to the NHS and Police only affected Tory voters. Might make people think twice about their future electoral choices...
Likewise I’d prefer if it cuts to the NHS and Police only affected Tory voters.
You only want people willing to pay for the NHS/Police to benefit from them? Privatisation of both would give you exactly that.
Why on earth not? Seems eminently fair to me
Well you have to caveat they with the fact that I assume many of those affected voted to remain.
I personally have no issues with the thinking that those who voted leave should have to live with the consequences, more so than those who voted remain.
However if we group whole areas as remain/stay then taking it a step further, if I lost my job due to brexit (And I'm a strong remainer), can I expect zero sympathy as 'the UK' voted to leave, and I'm part of the UK?
Or assuming you are English, if you lose your job can those of us in Scotland say you brought it upon yourself as the majority of your country voted to leave?
Fair play to Ford not sticking a paddle in shit creek and saying, “if you vote leave we’re likely to pull the plug”.
actually, they did pretty much do that.
What 9 of 13 of the current Tory leadership candidates have said theyre fine with No Deal Brexit ....
Ford won't be the last
So we’ll have to negotiate a trade deal with Japan and goodness knows how long that will take.
Imagine what they might have had waiting in the wings if we had only had the last 3 years to sort something out 🤔
Why on earth not? Seems eminently fair to me
I don't like it because it simply serves to deepen the divides that lay at the core of Brexit to start with. Let's be clear the Leave vote was as much about people registering their discontent with the wealthier middle/political classes (concentrated in the SE) and their condescending attitudes and lack of support for less affluent areas of the country as it was about a dislike of the EU, the Leave campaign managed to weaponise people's "general discontent" and focus it on their chosen target...
Economic hardship isn't going to be as neatly focussed on Leave voters as you would clearly like, so what do you tell the 46% of Bridgend residents who voted Remain and will still be affected by this? "It's your own fault for choosing to live in a slightly Brexity area with a bit of manufacturing industry" that's not really "electoral karma" that's the same regionalism and social division that contributed to Brexit being reinforced by people who claim to want the opposite...
I'm not saying this sort of thing isn't "reaping the whirlwind" of Brexit, simply that if you want to heal the social divides laid bare by Brexit then crowing at people as they joint the dole queue (metaphorically) and telling them it's their own fault, is not going to win them round to your point of view.
Perhaps as this sort of thing is going to start happening more and more over the next couple of years, it would be better if those of us who voted Remain make a point of being constructive, sympathetic and possibly even offering useful suggestions like, I dunno, a confirmatory vote which might just allow people to graciously change their minds and mitigate some of damage having seen the initial effects of Brexit...
While I understand , and share, the whole dissatisfaction with the London centric bubble, I can't imagine why people thought that over privileged toffs like Farage, Johnson and Rees-Mogg would have any more interest in their problems. I can't see any of them jeopardising their political position for the sake of Bridgend or Sunderland
I can’t imagine why people thought
I suggest that therein lies the problem, many people will not have thought at all.
Because of this the UK can export Jaguars, Land Rovers, etc. to Japan. Once we leave, we can’t...
JLR already moved production of their new vehicles from the UK to Slovakia.
I know this because my brother-in-law and sister-in-law work for JLR and had to move their family out there. 🙁
Ford are also closing a transmission factory in blanquefort France (850 jobs) and in talks with German workers. 5000 jobs worldwide
@GrahamS - Which is exactly my point. Post Brexit we can't produce cars for export to Japan (and other places) because those cars don't meet their criteria for import. There are basically three options for JLR: find new markets (Iceland anyone?); move production to within the EU; wait for a new trade deal with Japan.
Hasn't Liam Fox already sorted a trade deal with the Faroe Islands?
""JLR already moved production of their new vehicles from the UK to Slovakia.
I know this because my brother-in-law and sister-in-law work for JLR and had to move their family out there""
I work at JLR Solihull, and we knew the Discovery was being moved to Slovakia before production even started in Solihull. It wasn't moved because of Brexit, it was a long term plan. The body shop that was used to produce the Disvovery is currently being stripped out and made ready for the new hybrid Range Rover, there seems to be a lot of money invested in the Solihull site at the present time. Although the future doesn't look amazing there doesn't seem to be any real negativity and job fears.
as a 40 year old factory, think large sheds, and infrastructure all needs updating, along with staff on 45,000 per year, why not close it down sell all the assets or move them somewhere else or sell them to anyone that wants an engine assembly plant in a cheaper waged country, like BL did when i closed factories down.
We may still have the Toyota engine plant down the road at Queensferry,in Wales, and the Ford assembly plant in Halewood, Vauxhall in Ellesmere port looks like the next one to go, followed by other large engineering based companies.
Its turning speedily into the 1970,s again, unrest, political turmoil, strikes, and more.
Then add in the severe contraction in Banking, and retail services eg high street based shops and offices, uk plc is going to be third world in a decade
The one that makes the 4 x 4 cars for JLR, will always be known as the ford plant, to us locals.
Theres also Getrag transmissions half owned by Ford, and Ford Transmissions both at Halewood or Speke
Just one more manufacturing concern that cannot compete with cheaper foreign workers. Someone mentioned £45k for a production line operative? How can anyone realistically expect that to be sustainable? This isn't about Brexit it's about other countries being cheaper to manufacture in. Whilst companies are forced to chase profits for survival then this will continue to happen. 'Buy British' and if you have a problem with that (I'm sure many will) then I don't think you can blame anyone but yourself for whatever's left of UK manufacturing going the same way.
Sad to hear for the workers and economy.
45K? Factory worker? Earning more than some graduates.
History of the mk3 escort too.
This isn’t about Brexit
I don't have a link to hand but I read it this morning, Ford themselves said it was due to brexit "in part." It's not totally the fault of brexit, true, but you cannot deny that it's unrelated.
‘Buy British’
We'd love to, but that ship sailed somewhere around World War II.
Some of these closures are just technological change. In France the old-fashioned auto box plant in Bordeaux has shut but if the EU commission agrees there will be a new battery plant and Toyota is increasing its production capacity.
Then there's the on-going move to produce in cheaper locations hence the choice of Poland for one new battery plant.
And then there's something uniquely British, Brexit.
‘Buy British’
what does that mean?
these 2 pics also nicely illustrate why brexit is helping to dismantle UK manufacturing
Let’s be clear the Leave vote was as much about people registering their discontent with the wealthier middle/political classes (concentrated in the SE) and their condescending attitudes and lack of support for less affluent areas of the country as it was about a dislike of the EU
Careful, you're one step away from being called a far right appeaser once the brexit thread remain KGB see this. 🙂
Ford has dropped all saloon car production in the States, the only car they produce that isn’t an SUV or a truck (pickup), is the Mustang, which is a ‘World Car’, and with ever increasing emphasis on hybrid and electric vehicles, this sort of situation is going to become ever more common, and it ties in with a car industry that’s not doing at all well at the moment.
Kimbers, why did you use JLR as an example?
As well as brexit can we blame trump too?
45k a year? They’ll have a hard time replicating that at Burger King.
Amazon warehouse more likely than burger king
& Yes trump's trade war a big factor in Chinese slump, & his pressure on US companies to build there, but Brexit a bigger factor than the latter
Populism, eh!
Nonsence. Brexit or Trump has nothing to do with this. It takes years of planning to close down a factory, and million of pounds of investment, you just don't do it on a whim or in reaction to a short term political thing like brexit and trump. This plant has been on wind down for a while, the signs have been there and as unfortunate as it is for those affected, it isn't a shock or surprise to them. The global car market has been in trouble for a while...too many manufacturers, too much competition and price pressure squeezing profits, the need to invest billions in new technologies, new global supply chains as we transition to hybrid and EV's, the emergence of new markets and countries that are now sufficiently educated and skilled but with a much cheaper cost base e.g. Vietnam, Malaysia etc. as well as the government incentives, causing all car manufacturers to re-design their organisations.
I agree with much of that but low-cost Europe is just as (if not more) attractive as Asia to manufacturers with a large European market share.
45K? Factory worker? Earning more than some graduates.
I think this comment shows a misunderstanding about modern manufacturing. Much factory work is not low skilled stupid work. I am sure the wages vary across the site but in general modern manufacturing is a skilled job. Many operators are also now performing some be maintenance jobs on their machines and electrical and mechanical staff are swapped across more lines. In addition to this is shift work (plus overtime) and the fact that production environment is although much better than 50 years ago, is still not that nice a place to work. A fair chunk of pressure and a noisy hectic environment.
Each one of these facts results in a uplift of washes. In addition for manufacturing production is king. Staff retention is very important as a line working at a slower rate or downtime can be coating mega money per min. Pay a little more, get people to commit. Keep the lines running with high efficiency.
Brexit or Trump has nothing to do with this.
Of course not.
Ford has previously warned that a no-deal Brexit could be ‘catastrophic’ for the British auto industry.</quote>
Bridgend had a brexit majority in the referendum.
Brexit or Trump has nothing to do with this.
Of course not.
Ford has previously warned that a no-deal Brexit could be ‘catastrophic’ for the British auto industry.</quote>
Whoop, there it is 🤷♂️
Ford blamed "changing customer demand and cost" for the closure plans and denied Brexit was a factor.
I bet Brexit is never mentioned in senior ford management meetings, much! :/
Well, if the obvious isn’t actually obvious then clearly the obvious is lost on you.
You can quote all you like, manipulate whatever media press release you like.
But when it comes from the Board and Press of the company involved it’s seem obvious that obviously the obvious isn’t misconstrued as obvious.
🤷♂️
Enjoy you day
Nonsence. Brexit or Trump has nothing to do with this. It takes years of planning to close down a factory, and million of pounds of investment, you just don’t do it on a whim or in reaction to a short term political thing like brexit and trump. This plant has been on wind down for a while
That seems like a sort of self defeating argument; Brexit was voted on in 2016, and the closure will be happening in 2020 so this 'could' be interpreted as the implementation phase of a four year wind down plan triggered (at least in part) by the events of 2016...
And if such closures are planned well in advance then obviously Ford wouldn't announce it straight after the referendum they still had several productive years to squeeze out of the place and you don't want to demoralise the workforce too early. In fact I did note it was reported on the news last night that 2017 was apparently a relative high point for productivity at Bridgend but if the process was already in motion...
What British car can I buy? Just wondering for when all these horrible non UK companies final bugger off home and stop competing with us.
Bloody foreigners, coming over here creating jobs.... Oh.
Nissan Leaf.
Morgan? Caterham? McLaren? Lotus?
maybe I've missed it, but I've not seen any Westminster politicians making any comments on this....have I missed it?
Morgan are now owned by an overseas investor. I think the most 'british' thing would be an Orange with Hope gears : )
Nonsence. Brexit or Trump has nothing to do with this. It takes years of planning to close down a factory, and million of pounds of investment, you just don’t do it on a whim
well actually they warned 3 years ago this might happen
brexit & trump might not be the only factor but obviously A factor & trumps trade war has certainly contributed to a slide in demand
& its demonstrably untrue that trump hasnt had an impact on factory moves https://www.dallasnews.com/business/autos/2017/01/26/cost-ford-abandon-mexico-car-plant-trump-disliked
Why a $1.6bn car plant has been left to decay
Ford have been moving their production from the UK to other EU countries for quite a few years now, the EU subsidise this to get weaker countries a stronger manufacturing base, and it's cheaper labour for Ford.
It was happening a long while before the Brexit vote, the EU didn't help Dagenham and Hailwood (and many other Ford sites).
It was happening a long while before the Brexit vote, the EU didn’t help Dagenham and Hailwood (and many other Ford sites).
this kind of BS needs to be called out
yes, the EIB have given loans to car makers in other EU countries but they also do so in britain
12 of 13 of the current Tory leadership candidates say they are fine with a no deal Brexit adding 10% to the cost of all cars exported from the UK to EU (which is where 35% of all cars we export go)
of the 30,000 components that make up a car the majority cross the channel at least once
car companies have already had to spend £millions stockpiling & preparing for the delays a no deal brexit would cause.
Yes the industry is changing, the headwinds of chinese slowdown (trumps trade war!) the switch to electric etc.
BUT the government could & should be helping to steer investment into the country,
as the EU are (belatedly) doing https://ec.europa.eu/growth/industry/policy/european-battery-alliance_en
instead government is focused on one thing only & will be for the next decade at least as we try to replace the current relationship we are ripping up.
What British car can I buy?
Frankly the idea of buying a car for any single country of origin is almost laughable in the 21st century.
Do you care where the maker has it's HQ?
Or the country is was founded it?
Or the country the body is made it? If so the main frame you don't really see or the bits of the body you do see?
Or the country they made the engine / motor?
Or the country they made the electrical system which is probably more important than the power plant now?
Or the country they made all the small bits that make up any of the big bits listed above?
Or indeed the country where they designed and tested any of the above?
It's daft really, it's like my Bird bike - "built in Britain" yeah we sort of, assembled in Britain using a frame that was designed here, but built in the far east, finished with American suspension, made in the Taiwan, from parts made all over the middle east, Swiss wheels, again, built in Switzerland, but some of the parts were made in Asia, Tyres that are sort of British and sort of Taiwanese at the same time and dozens of other tiny, forgettable bits of bits made globally.
That's sums up the madness of populism/Brexit/trump etc
We are long past the point of being self sufficient in anything, if we want to keep the stuff we like, eg batteries to power our gadgets, cars, store our power etc require lithium from Chile bauxite from Australia, rare earth's from China & Africa.....
Supply chains are insanely complex, but people don't want to know about that, they want to be told that if they vote for Brexit life will become great.
I work in automotive manufacturing supply chain. There are many different headwinds affecting the industry, most of which have been mentioned already in this thread. At my company, production is down almost 25% from the peak of a couple of years back.
I think with brexit supported by a huge number of people, many companies simply don't want to alienate a large part of their customer base by blaming it. But the fact is its not helping, and will continue to be an issue until the country has a clear direction.
It may not be solely to blame, but it will be the straw that breaks the back for many in my industry and others.
I expect to be redundant from a well paid, interesting and irreplaceable job within 5 years.
this kind of BS needs to be called out
After living in Sth Essex and talking to friends who've worked for Ford's for years, this is what I've been repeatedly told by several people from differing Ford locations. Please don't say it's 'BS', it's just a differing opinion!
TheBrick
Member
45K? Factory worker? Earning more than some graduates.I think this comment shows a misunderstanding about modern manufacturing. Much factory work is not low skilled stupid work. I am sure the wages vary across the site but in general modern manufacturing is a skilled job. Many operators are also now performing some be maintenance jobs on their machines and electrical and mechanical staff are swapped across more lines. In addition to this is shift work (plus overtime) and the fact that production environment is although much better than 50 years ago, is still not that nice a place to work. A fair chunk of pressure and a noisy hectic environment.
Each one of these facts results in a uplift of washes. In addition for manufacturing production is king. Staff retention is very important as a line working at a slower rate or downtime can be coating mega money per min. Pay a little more, get people to commit. Keep the lines running with high efficiency.
Having worked on the NISSAN production line for the last 20 years, I concur!
Edit: I don’t earn £45k a year!
Frankly the idea of buying a car for any single country of origin is almost laughable in the 21st century.
No, but you can buy cars from companies that invest in the UK one way or the other.
Anyway. If Brexit doesn't directly impact manufacturer's decisions, it will ultimately. If our economy slides or even looks like it's going to slide then a new car purchase is likely to be the easiest thing for most people to put off, which will hurt the industry both in the UK and abroad.
After living in Sth Essex and talking to friends who’ve worked for Ford’s for years, this is what I’ve been repeatedly told by several people from differing Ford locations. Please don’t say it’s ‘BS’, it’s just a differing opinion!
your issue is with globalisation
as I pointed out the EIB have given loans to other countries in this case £80m to Turkey, but they have also given (as your article points out) £450m to ford UK
in this case what did our government do to prevent the closure of the southampton plant? the UK spends considerable less (2-5x) less on state aid than france, germany, holland etc.
what I was calling BS was blaming Brussles for the shortcoming of Westminster which is often the problem, something that shouldve been obvious after the last 3 years of cool calm negotiating on the EUs half & the absolute shambles of UK government
UK used to be a good base for multinationals to get into europe. Lower wages and much lower worker protection. Now with brixit they will not in future be able to sell tariff free from the UK to Europe so they no longer need the plants
I work in large scale pharmaceutical manufacturing here - we are banging out as many batches as possible and shipping them before October. We had a mad rush before March as well - so the idea that Brexit is not altering industrial strategy is laughable. Of course it is, although it may have just been a contributory cause in Fords decision to close - as opposed to a root cause.
I was googling for parts that make up cars made in the UK, was a good example of how supply lines are damaged by brexit
even the uk sourced parts in that picture would require input materials from elsewhere too
see also
The American carmaker also conceded yesterday that a no-deal Brexit could yet put another 6,000 British production and development jobs at risk in Essex, east London and Merseyside.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/no-deal-may-put-6-000-more-ford-jobs-at-risk-lfsx23p3t
the deluded isolationism of brexit is suicide in the modern world
How do you square the circle of continuing growth in vehicle production and the issues with the environment ? I can't see these two things being compatible.
I struggle to believe that £45k figure, a job review site claims £30k average for Ford production workers (although I totally accept there's likely a lot of skill involved in the job).
But yeah a really sad thing for all the workers and their families there, can't be many other opportunities in the vicinity (the company I work for is also a fairly big employer in the area and is looking at taking on some additional people even without a current job opening for them but it will be tiny numbers).
JLR already moved production of their new vehicles from the UK to Slovakia.
I know this because my brother-in-law and sister-in-law work for JLR and had to move their family out there.
JLR are only making 2 models at Nitra in Slovakia, not all their new models, this has been done to free capacity at Solihull to allow further UK produced models.