Ford’s global management has decided to assign the Almussafes (Valencia) factory to produce a new passenger vehicle in order to maintain sufficient workload while decisions about the future of electrification are being made, as stated by the majority union at the plant, UGT. This decision was conveyed by Ford’s global president, Jim Farley, during a meeting with the workers’ representatives and the European Works Council in Dunton (United Kingdom), which was described as positive and constructive.
The Almussafes factory currently faces uncertainty regarding investments for the production of electric vehicles, despite being chosen in 2022 to produce a new electric vehicle platform starting in 2025. The factory has seen a significant decrease in production over the past six years, going from almost 370,000 cars of five different models in 2018 to just under 212,000 cars last year. This drop of 42% was exacerbated by the loss of production of the Mondeo, S-Max, and Galaxy models.
Ford’s commitment to Almussafes comes at a time when the factory is operating under an extended temporary employment regulation file (ERTE) due to production challenges with the Kuga model. The decision to assign a new vehicle model to the factory guarantees its viability for the coming years and provides relief for both the workforce and local automotive cluster.
The Valencian automotive industry has welcomed this news, emphasizing clear dates and volumes are needed for suppliers to effectively plan their work. Ford’s application for funding under Perte VEC II further signals a commitment to developing electric vehicles at Almussafes Factory.
