Ford has has announced plans to cut about 800 roles across the UK over the next three years
Ford will axe about 800 jobs across the UK over the next three years as part of plans to cut costs.
It comes as part of a wider restructuring programme, which will see 4,000 roles culled across Europe. The majority of losses will come from positions in Germany, where 2,900 jobs are under threat. Ford has 5,300 workers in the UK. Its manufacturing sites in Dagenham and Halewood, and its logistics base in Southampton, will be unaffected by the news today.
However, there could be cuts at six other Ford sites across the UK, including a major research and development centre and UK headquarters in Dunton in Essex, along with its parts distribution centre in Daventry. The cuts will result in a 15% reduction of its workforce and will largely hit administrative or product development roles.
The car manufacturer said it wants to “crate a more cost-competitive structure and ensure the long-term sustainability” of the business in Europe “lower-than-expected demand“ for its electric vehicles. Ford also blamed more competition within the market for “significant losses” in recent years.
The company said it hoped the majority of job cuts will come through voluntary redundancy by the end of 2027. Lisa Brankin, managing director of Ford of Britain and Ireland, said: “Making this announcement isn’t something that anybody wants to do, and I appreciate it will have a very significant impact on our employees. It’s not the news anyone wants to hear at any time. So our aim is to try to deliver this through voluntary redundancy.”
Dave Johnston, Ford’s European vice president for transformation and partnerships, said: “Ford has been in Europe for more than 100 years. We are proud of our new product portfolio for Europe and committed to building a thriving business in Europe for generations to come. It is critical to take difficult but decisive action to ensure Ford’s future competitiveness in Europe.”
