Feb. 14 (UPI) — Auto giant Ford Motors announced on Tuesday that it will slash 3,800 jobs in Europe over the next two years because of “significant economic and geo-political headwinds.”
Ford, whose European headquarters are based in Cologne, Germany, said 2,800 jobs will be eliminated in product development and another 1,000 in its administration. Ford said it will keep an engineering staff of about 3,400 roles in Europe, focused on vehicle design and development.
“These are difficult decisions, not taken lightly,” Martin Sander, general manager of Ford Model e in Europe, said in a statement. “We recognize the uncertainty it creates for our team, and I assure them we will be offering them our full support in the months ahead.
“We will engage in consultations with our social partners so we can move forward together on building a thriving future for our business in Europe.”
Ford said the changes are needed to prepare to compete on the continent as they continue its transition to electric vehicles. The company said plans to offer an all-electric fleet in Europe by 2035 remain unchanged.
“We are completely reinventing the Ford brand in Europe,” Sander said. “Unapologetically American, outstanding design and connected services that will differentiate Ford and delight our customers in Europe.
“We are ready to compete and win in Europe. Our first European-built electric passenger vehicle is being introduced this spring and will surely turn heads.”
The news came after Ford’s U.S. division announced it would partner with Chinese manufacturer Contemporary Amperex Technology to build a $3.5 billion electric vehicle battery production facility in Marshall, Mich., with production expected to begin in 2026.
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