Ford to shut Australian plants
Ford has announced that its manufacturing operations in Australia are to end in October 2016. This shock development will see the closure of the Broadmeadows and Geelong plants, with the loss of approximately 1,200 jobs.
The company says it investigated alternative actions such as increasing exports, improving productivity and even seeking state subsidies. However, losses of around AUD 600 million over the last five years, continued high operating costs and a very competitive market have meant that vehicle production in Australia is no longer deemed viable.
Bob Graziano, President and CEO of Ford Australia, said: “All of us at Ford remain committed to our long history of serving Australian customers with the very best vehicles that deliver cutting edge technology at an affordable cost.
“Unfortunately, due to challenging market conditions we are unable to do that longer-term while continuing to manufacture locally.
“We know this announcement is very difficult, especially for our employees. Providing support to those in our team whose roles will be affected is a key priority for us during this three-year transition period.
“Ford will remain a significant employer in Australia, with more than 1,500 team members, as will our network of more than 200 dealers around the country. The Australian team’s role as a global centre of excellence for vehicle development also will continue to be an important focus for us.
“We will be introducing a number of exciting new vehicles and technologies during the next few years that will excite our Australian customers. The breadth of our line-up will increase by more than 30 per cent, ensuring we continue to offer our customers an outstanding range of cars, SUVs and light trucks long into the future.
“Ford vehicles have been part of the automotive landscape in Australia for almost 110 years and we have manufactured here since 1925. We are proud of that history. We are proud of our role in Australia and we haven’t made this decision lightly.”
The model lines most likely to be affected by these events are the Falcon, Falcon Ute and Territory SUV, all of which are uniquely built in Australia. Ford has confirmed that updated versions of each will still be launched in 2014, but beyond that their futures are uncertain.
A possibility is that a replacement Falcon could be based on the next-generation Mustang’s rear-wheel drive platform. But in keeping with the ‘One Ford’ strategy, a quicker and cheaper solution might be to simply stick some Falcon badges on the Taurus, a full-size saloon that’s currently offered in North America.
Similarly, the existing Explorer would be an obvious substitute for the Territory. The popularity of such imported vehicles with Australian buyers remains to be seen, though.
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The company says it investigated alternative actions such as increasing exports, improving productivity and even seeking state subsidies. However, losses of around AUD 600 million over the last five years, continued high operating costs and a very competitive market have meant that vehicle production in Australia is no longer deemed viable.
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| The Australian-built Ford Performance Vehicles |
| GT RSPEC Limited Edition Series |
Bob Graziano, President and CEO of Ford Australia, said: “All of us at Ford remain committed to our long history of serving Australian customers with the very best vehicles that deliver cutting edge technology at an affordable cost.
“Unfortunately, due to challenging market conditions we are unable to do that longer-term while continuing to manufacture locally.
“We know this announcement is very difficult, especially for our employees. Providing support to those in our team whose roles will be affected is a key priority for us during this three-year transition period.
“Ford will remain a significant employer in Australia, with more than 1,500 team members, as will our network of more than 200 dealers around the country. The Australian team’s role as a global centre of excellence for vehicle development also will continue to be an important focus for us.
“We will be introducing a number of exciting new vehicles and technologies during the next few years that will excite our Australian customers. The breadth of our line-up will increase by more than 30 per cent, ensuring we continue to offer our customers an outstanding range of cars, SUVs and light trucks long into the future.
“Ford vehicles have been part of the automotive landscape in Australia for almost 110 years and we have manufactured here since 1925. We are proud of that history. We are proud of our role in Australia and we haven’t made this decision lightly.”
The model lines most likely to be affected by these events are the Falcon, Falcon Ute and Territory SUV, all of which are uniquely built in Australia. Ford has confirmed that updated versions of each will still be launched in 2014, but beyond that their futures are uncertain.
A possibility is that a replacement Falcon could be based on the next-generation Mustang’s rear-wheel drive platform. But in keeping with the ‘One Ford’ strategy, a quicker and cheaper solution might be to simply stick some Falcon badges on the Taurus, a full-size saloon that’s currently offered in North America.
Similarly, the existing Explorer would be an obvious substitute for the Territory. The popularity of such imported vehicles with Australian buyers remains to be seen, though.
Related posts:
FPV Pursuit Ute unveiled
FPV GT RSPEC edition
FPV launches GT Black
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