Ford relocates parts production to Saarlouis: 120 jobs in danger!

Ford relocates parts production to Saarlouis: 120 jobs in danger!

Ford relocates the production of spare parts from Cologne to Saarlouis, which brings significant changes for the employees. By the end of 2026, a total of 120 employees will have to prepare in a new professional direction because their positions will be eliminated. Nevertheless, there is hope for those affected: Ford offers alternative activities to avoid loss of job. Works council chief Benjamin Gruschka emphasizes that nobody will be unemployed or terminated, since the protection of dismissal will apply by the end of 2032. This means that the employees concerned can accommodate other departments such as production or maintenance.

The decision to expand the production in Saarlouis was made to create synergies and is closely related to the production of the Focus model. At the Saarlouis location, the production of this model ends in November 2025 without a successor being planned. As early as 2022, Ford had decided to largely close the work in Saarlouis. This decision was made after an intensive competition between the Ford works of Saarlouis and Valencia in Spain, the latter being chosen for the production of new electric cars.

Current Situation in Saarland

The closure of the Saarwerk was not final because Ford had been looking for an investor together with the state government. Although several interested parties showed interest, a great investor surprisingly withdrew in October 2023. This retreat leaves questions about the future of the location, since the originally hoped -for takeover of the work and the workforce did not come about. Despite these setbacks, 1000 jobs will be obtained from Ford after the management and employee representatives agreed on an agreement in February.

The planned positions will focus primarily on "Ford's own topics", which also includes the production of the spare parts from 2026. Originally, the Saarwerk workforce had grown to around 4,500 employees, which has been reduced to around 3850 employees over the past few months.

In the coming weeks, further details on the employment opportunities are to be communicated to ensure that all former and current employees have the opportunity to seamlessly switch to new roles. For many, this means a new beginning in the face of upheavals in the automotive industry, and the return to stability remains desirable.

The adjustments in the Ford works are part of a larger trend in the automotive industry, which focuses on the production of electric vehicles and the associated logistical changes. Ultimately, considering the production at a central location could not only increase efficiency, but also take into account the environment by optimizing the production paths. For a deeper insight into the challenges that the automotive industry currently copes with, of the articles of www.ksta.de useful information.