Ford restarts several European plants

After the coronavirus-related production stop at its plants worldwide, Ford plans to have production for the majority of its European vehicle and engine plants restart this week, Kallanish hears from the carmaker.

Production at the German sites in Saarlouis and Cologne, at Craiova in Romania and at the Spanish vehicle plant in Valencia is to be successively ramped up, Ford says. Engine production in Valencia will start on 18 May, while the engine plants in Dagenham and Bridgend in the UK will start at a later date.

“Once we have overcome the initial peak of the coronavirus pandemic in Europe, we must adapt to the new environment,” says Stuart Rowley, president of Ford Europe. “Our return- to-work plan will focus on standards for maintaining a minimum distance between employees and further strengthening health and safety regulations,” he says. “It is important for our employees to know that we are doing everything we can to protect their well-being in the workplace,” he maintains.

Production will initially start at a low level, the company says. The focus will be on vehicles for which specific customer orders have been received. Facilities will be ramped up to full capacity in the coming months, depending on the performance of suppliers, national transport restrictions and demand in key markets such as Germany, Ford says.