Ford confirms almost 400 job losses in first phase of redundancies at Bridgend plant
Car manufacturer Ford has confirmed around 370 members of staff will lose their jobs in a voluntary redundancy programme at its Bridgend engine plant.
It is affirmation of reports last month that Ford will begin cutting jobs at the plant as the company re-evaluates its European strategy.
Read more: SSE will sell stake in Scottish wind farms in £635m deal
Unions said they were told in January that 990 people would be made redundant by 2020, with Ford no longer requiring the same level of production in the UK.
The company said the voluntary redundancies would affect hourly and salaried employees as it tries to create a “sustainably profitable business” on the continent.
Employees were officially informed of the news on Friday and told that those who are selected for redundancy will leave later this year.
“The programme follows discussion with the union on matching the plant’s labour requirements to the projected production volume expectations in the near term,” a Ford spokesperson said.
“It is anticipated that the majority of employees who apply and are selected for voluntary separation under this programme will leave Ford employment in the third and fourth quarters of 2019.”
The American car giant confirmed plans of a major reshuffle in January that would affect operations across the UK and Europe.
Bridgend also make engines for Jaguar Land Rover but that contract expires at the end of the year, as does the deal to make the Ford Ecoboost engine.
Read more: Sale of airline Norwegian fell through because of Brexit, chairman says
The factory did win the investment of Ford's latest petrol engine, the Dragon, but that will only employ 500 of the current 1,700 workers on the site.
Under the current plans, just under 1,000 jobs will be lost at the plant by 2021 in two phases. It is part of 1,150 job cuts across the UK.