Ford Closes Two Assembling Factories

Ford Motor stated that the company will liquidate two assembling factories in St. Paul (Minnesota) and in Norfolk (Virginia) by 2008 in the course of scalable reconstruction plan. In addition officially informed that factories closure will bring 4 300 discharged employees.

The Ford reconstruction plan named “Way Forward” provides for breaking up of 14 enterprises including 7 assembling factories and over 30 000 discharged. The main aim of the plan is compensating the $1.6 billion loss that Ford suffered in US market in 2005.

The first factory exposed for closure located in Minnesota with 1 750 by-hour employees and 135 constant salary rate manufactures Ranger compact pick-ups that lost popularity during recent years.

The Norfolk factory with its 2 433 employees produces the best-seller model – Ford F-150 pick-up which is also manufactured by Ford factories in the states of Michigan and Missouri.

Mark Fields, Ford regional director stated that the two assembling factories chosen by Ford for closing basing on location principle, as well as on transportation and operational spending. He also added that in spite of Norfolk factory closure the Ford f-150 manufacturing volume will not fall down.