Ford’s global management has made a commitment to assign the Almussafes factory in Valencia with the production of a passenger vehicle to maintain sufficient workload while decisions about electrification are being made. The majority union in the plant, UGT, conveyed this information to the workers after a meeting with Ford’s global president, Jim Farley. The decision was seen positively and constructively by the union.
The Almussafes factory was left with only one manufacturing model, the Kuga, after ceasing production of the Transit van. The assignment of a new model ensures the immediate future of the factory, which employs close to 4,800 people. The factory has faced uncertainty due to the lack of necessary investments for the production of electric vehicles.
The Valencian plant was chosen to produce Ford’s new electric vehicle platform, but the investments required for this have not materialized. This has caused concerns about the future of the plant. However, the commitment from global management provides hope for the Almussafes factory.
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, hailed the decision as excellent news for Valencia, Spain, and Ford workers in Spain. The Valencian automotive cluster has also reacted positively to the news of the allocation of a new vehicle to the plant.
Now, the focus will be on quantifying the number of units to be manufactured, the employment it will guarantee, the investment needed, and the launch dates. The staff at the factory will look forward to clearer information in the coming weeks. The future of the Almussafes factory seems more secure with the commitment from Ford’s global management.