Ford’s global management has made a decision to allocate passenger vehicle production to the Almusafes (Valencia) plant, securing its immediate future and providing relief to both the workforce and the local automotive cluster. The factory currently faces uncertainty over investment in electric vehicle production, despite being selected in 2022 to produce a new electric vehicle platform starting in 2025.
The plant, which employs close to 4,800 people, has seen a significant drop in production over the past six years, from almost 370,000 cars of five different models in 2018 to just under 212,000 cars last year. This 42% decline was exacerbated by the loss of production of the Mondeo, S-Max and Galaxy models. However, with this new allocation of a new vehicle model, the plant is now guaranteed sustainability in the coming years.
The decision was conveyed by Ford global president Jim Farley during a meeting with workers’ representatives and the European Works Council in Dunton (United Kingdom). The meeting was described as positive and constructive. The award of the new model comes at a time when the plant is operating under an Extended Temporary Employment File (ERTE) due to production challenges with the Kuga model.
The automotive industry of Valencia, represented by AVIA, welcomed the news of the new vehicle allocation, underlining the importance of clear dates and scopes for efficient supplier work planning. Ford’s application for funding under the Electric and Connected Vehicle (Perte VEC II) Strategic Recovery and Economic Transformation Project further indicates a commitment to