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Ford May Close 5 North American Plants
DETROIT (AP) -- Ford Motor Co. workers and local officials said Friday
they'll do everything in their power to keep plants open after a report suggested Ford is considering closing five North American plants as part of a major restructuring. Lawmakers and union officials said they would pile on tax breaks or change plant work rules to encourage Ford to stay. In Minnesota, House Speaker Steve Sviggum, the Legislature's top Republican, said he wouldn't rule out pushing for a special session to consider incentives for keeping a plant in St. Paul. "We're not going to let this go without a fight," he said. "We're going to give every incentive we can to make sure these jobs are maintained." The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that the nation's second biggest automaker is likely to close assembly plants in St. Louis, Atlanta and St. Paul under a still-evolving restructuring plan. It cited two unidentified people familiar with the automaker's product plans. The newspaper said an engine-parts plant in Windsor, Ontario, and a truck-assembly plant in Cuautitlan, Mexico, also are slated for closure. If Ford closes the plants, it would deal another blow to U.S. autoworkers, already reeling from a plan announced last month by General Motors Corp. to close 12 North American facilities and cut 30,000 jobs. The nation's car manufacturers are suffering from declining sales, especially of sport utility vehicles, even as the cost of labor and health care rises. Ford shares rose 5 cents to close at $8.15 on the New York Stock Exchange on Friday. Together, the Ford plants cited in Friday's report employ around 7,000 people, according to Ford's Web site. Ford had a total of 122,877 North American employees at the end of last year. The Dearborn, Mich.-based automaker has around 324,000 employees worldwide.Ford has been struggling with declining U.S. market share, high labor costs and excess plant capacity. The company reported a $1.2 billion pretax loss in its North American automotive operations in the third quarter. Ford Chairman and CEO Bill Ford has said the company is working on a restructuring plan and will reveal details in January. Bill Ford said in October the plan will include "significant" job cuts and plant closures. Ford is only using around 86 percent of its North American assembly plant capacity, compared to 107 percent at rival Toyota Motor Corp. Ford has 23 assembly plants in North America. "Obviously, we've indicated we will address our excess capacity," Ford spokesman Oscar Suris told The Associated Press Friday. "We've been pretty consistent in saying we'll share these plans in more detail in January. Nothing is finalized." The United Auto Workers refused to comment on the report, saying it is speculation. At the Ford plant in Cuautitlan, just north of Mexico City, said rumors about downsizing have been floating around for some time, and the 750 workers there are willing to discuss labor changes to keep the plant open. "We believe that we represent a good business opportunity for Ford," said Juan Jose Sosa, the national representative for the Ford workers union in Mexico. "We are open to considering reasonable alternatives ... and a better use of labor," he said. Danny Sparks, head of the local union at the Ford plant in Hapeville, Ga., near Atlanta, said the report of a possible closure came as a surprise. "We're one of the most efficient plants Ford has. The Atlanta employees have a long history of stepping up to the task at hand," Sparks said. Chuck Moore, director of the Detroit-area restructuring firm Conway, MacKenzie and Dunleavy, said the plants are the subject of speculation in part because of the products they make. The Atlanta plant makes the Ford Taurus sedan, which is scheduled to be phased out next year. The St. Louis plant makes the Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer, two vehicles which have been struggling. Explorer sales were down 30 percent in the first 11 months of this year despite an extensive redesign, according to Autodata Corp. The St. Paul plant makes the Ford Ranger pickup, which also saw sales fall nearly 25 percent between January and November, and the Cuautitlan plant makes the F-150 and Super-Duty trucks that could be consolidated elsewhere, Moore said. Ford has four other plants that make the F-150. GM's announcement got little reaction from Wall Street, in part because many of the changes won't take place until after GM and the UAW negotiate a new contract in 2007. Moore said Ford could get the same reaction unless its restructuring plan takes effect sooner, although Ford also is locked into a UAW contract that won't be negotiated until 2007. Moore said Ford also has to make clear how it plans to stem its market share losses. Ford's U.S. market share fell to 17.4 percent in the first 11 months of the year, down from 18.4 percent the year before. "Without stabilization of the market share, it's just going to require additional cost cuts and additional closures," Moore said. Yet another $.02 worth from a proud owner of a 1970 Mach 1 351C @ http://community.webshots.com/album/18644819fHAehGJAjt |
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#2
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time for coherent action!
"Grover C. McCoury III" > wrote:
> DETROIT (AP) -- Ford Motor Co. workers and local officials said Friday > they'll do everything in their power to keep plants open after a > report suggested Ford is considering closing five North American > plants as part of a major restructuring. UAW, Ford, GM and Chrysler must sit down and find a way to stop the bleeding. Time for UAW to establish strict workplace standards.. spend less time defending workers from charges of drug use / dealing, more educating how they are all in danger. Time to kick the MBA's out of Automotive middle management and establish "Quality as Job1 !" ethics. - Still signs of 'quota management' in plants, which ignore rework rate Time to figure out a way to pay into a joint benefits fund from cars/vehicles sold.. regardless of origin. -- Yeh, I'm a Krusty old Geezer, putting up with my 'smartass' is the price you pay..DEAL with it! |
#3
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Ford May Close 5 North American Plants
I been buying Ford for 20 years. I took my Ranger in for a transmission
overhaul. $2000. 6 months later I had to have it done again. Another $2000. I took my Aspire in for a head gasket. Cost $1500 and it still needs a head gasket. I needed a new car. I watched the Ford ads for months. Never able to buy one at the advertized price. So I bought a Toyota. Maybe Ford should die. |
#4
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time for coherent action!
On Sun, 04 Dec 2005 17:21:20 GMT, Backyard Mechanic
> wrote: >"Grover C. McCoury III" > wrote: > >> DETROIT (AP) -- Ford Motor Co. workers and local officials said Friday >> they'll do everything in their power to keep plants open after a >> report suggested Ford is considering closing five North American >> plants as part of a major restructuring. > >UAW, Ford, GM and Chrysler must sit down and find a way to stop the >bleeding. > >Time for UAW to establish strict workplace standards.. spend less time >defending workers from charges of drug use / dealing, more educating how >they are all in danger. > >Time to kick the MBA's out of Automotive middle management and establish >"Quality as Job1 !" ethics. >- Still signs of 'quota management' in plants, which ignore rework rate > >Time to figure out a way to pay into a joint benefits fund from >cars/vehicles sold.. regardless of origin. Americans should buy American cars. It's not complicated. Every time we have a layoff at work people are shocked. They gather up their stuff in a box and walk out to the parking lot and drive off in their Toyota wondering "How could this have happened to me?". The fault isn't just with consumers either. The car companies better get their ducks in a row and build in some quality and value. A lot of people bought GM/Ford/Chrysler junk back in the 70's and 80's and haven't forgotten. It's not easy to get these buyers back. |
#5
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Ford May Close 5 North American Plants
On Sun, 4 Dec 2005 09:53:39 -0800, "Pat" >
wrote: >I been buying Ford for 20 years. I took my Ranger in for a transmission >overhaul. $2000. 6 months later I had to have it done again. Another >$2000. I took my Aspire in for a head gasket. Cost $1500 and it still >needs a head gasket. I needed a new car. I watched the Ford ads for >months. Never able to buy one at the advertized price. So I bought a >Toyota. Maybe Ford should die. > I might ... agree with this (GM & Chryco too). It's time the government figured out the cost/benefits of having the US design and assemble it's own vehicles. US workers are too valuable to spend their time screwing nuts onto studs. The US should be computerizing the world that's where the money is at the moment. Focus on the future, allow the past to die (or at least move to China/Mexico). Subsidize the future, not the past. |
#6
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time for coherent action!
Mort Guffman wrote: > > Americans should buy American cars. It's not complicated. Actually, it kinda is complicated. If you look at the build sheet for a new "American" car, the engine or tranny could be built in France, Mexico, Canada or even China. Yet the "foreign" cars have their plants in the good 'ol USA. A Ford hybrid is about 50% foreign parts. A Chevy Equinox has an engine built in China. A Mazda pickup is built by Ford. Older Isuzus may have a GM engine. A Chevy car may have had an Isuzu engine. A Chevy could have been a joint venture between Toyota, Daewoo or who knows whatever. Dodge has their parts from who-knows-where. Where does it stop and how can the "American" car companies bitch about the foreign invasion when they have jumped in bed with the foreigners? |
#7
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Ford May Close 5 North American Plants
In article >, Pat wrote:
> I been buying Ford for 20 years. I took my Ranger in for a transmission > overhaul. $2000. 6 months later I had to have it done again. Another > $2000. I took my Aspire in for a head gasket. Cost $1500 and it still > needs a head gasket. I needed a new car. I watched the Ford ads for > months. Never able to buy one at the advertized price. So I bought a > Toyota. Maybe Ford should die. Sounds more like your mechanic was ripping you off. |
#8
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time for coherent action!
Backyard Mechanic wrote:
> Time to figure out a way to pay into a joint benefits fund from > cars/vehicles sold.. regardless of origin. > And perhapse pay CEOs and such only $4 million a year instead of $8 million and make a "profit rainy day fund." Yeah I'm all for profit and free trade and such and I am definately not a Socialist, but any mildly intelligent person must agree that some CEO salaries are far beyond outrageous. -- "Usenet is like a herd of performing elephants with diarrhea -- massive, difficult to redirect, awe-inspiring, entertaining, and a source of mind-boggling amounts of excrement when you least expect it." -- Gene Spafford |
#9
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time for coherent action!
Mort Guffman wrote:
> > Americans should buy American cars. It's not complicated. > Don't you DARE even try to lay just one tiny bit of blame for Ford and GM losing money on me! Chrysler is half owned by Daimler, and if the Big 3 are such wonderful American companies Why are so many models made in Canada and Mexico? My "Japaneese" truck is engineerd and built in Canton Mississippi and is in my opinion superior to it's competiton. If they worried less about profits and more about the product that causes the profits they would make more. Lastly, Call me a Socialist if you want, but if you owned a bakery and you were $10,000 short AND your salary as owner CEO was $60K, would you settle for a $50K salary to save your business? Of course. Now tell that to the people that run Ford and GM. -- "Usenet is like a herd of performing elephants with diarrhea -- massive, difficult to redirect, awe-inspiring, entertaining, and a source of mind-boggling amounts of excrement when you least expect it." -- Gene Spafford |
#10
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time for coherent action!
Kruse wrote:
> Mort Guffman wrote: > >>Americans should buy American cars. It's not complicated. > > > > Actually, it kinda is complicated. If you look at the build sheet for a > new "American" car, the engine or tranny could be built in France, > Mexico, Canada or even China. Yet the "foreign" cars have their plants > in the good 'ol USA. > A Ford hybrid is about 50% foreign parts. A Chevy Equinox has an engine > built in China. OMG holy crap! I didn't know that. Where did you gleen this info? I want to know more. My opinion of China is at an all time low these days. > A Mazda pickup is built by Ford. Older Isuzus may have > a GM engine. A Chevy car may have had an Isuzu engine. A Chevy could > have been a joint venture between Toyota, Daewoo or who knows whatever. > Dodge has their parts from who-knows-where. Where does it stop and how > can the "American" car companies bitch about the foreign invasion when > they have jumped in bed with the foreigners? > Back in the good old days the Chevy Luv, Ford Courrier and Dodge D50/Plymouth Arrow were Isuzu, Mazda and Mitsubishi. I owned a 73 Ford Courrier in highschool and you should have seen the look on this 15 yearolds face when I read the little metal tag on the firewall that said built in Japan by Mazda, Toyo Kogyo Corp. -- "Usenet is like a herd of performing elephants with diarrhea -- massive, difficult to redirect, awe-inspiring, entertaining, and a source of mind-boggling amounts of excrement when you least expect it." -- Gene Spafford |
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