Ford responds to slowdown with 850 job losses

Car giant Ford is to cut 850 jobs at its UK plant with its Transit van plant in Southampton the worst affected.

The US carmaker said between 400 and 500 jobs are to go at its site in Southampton while another 350 jobs will be spread across the company’s remaining UK sites in Basildon, Brentwood and Dunton, in Essex, Daventry in Northamptonshire, Halewood on Merseyside and Bridgend in south Wales.

The job losses represent almost 7% of Ford’s UK workforce of 13,000.

Ford said the job cuts are in response to the economic downturn which is making consumers cut back on costly items.

Many other car manufacturers have slashed jobs and cut hours as a result of slowing demand.

The announcement from Ford comes as the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) revealed today that the number of new cars registered in the UK in January fell 30.9% year-on-year.

Story link: Ford responds to slowdown with 850 job losses