Ford cutting 200 jobs at Oakville, Ont. auto assembly plant
Canadian Plastics
Automotive EconomyIn a statement, Ford said the layoffs are the result of a "long-standing practice of matching production with consumer demand."
Ford Motor Co. plans to cut about 200 jobs at its plant in Oakville, Ont. beginning in September, the company said.
In a statement, the company said the changes are the result of a “long-standing practice of matching production with consumer demand.”
“We are changing from tag relief to mass relief in final assembly, which means the line will now stop during breaks,” the statement continued. “We are also eliminating one shift in paint, bringing that area of the plant to two shifts, affecting approximately 200 jobs. The layoffs will begin in September.”
The company said sales of its Ford Flex SUV and Lincoln MKT crossover are slowing, while it will no longer sell the Ford Edge SUV in some European markets.
The Oakville plant, which produces the three vehicles, along with the Linclon MKX crossover, employs about 4,600 people.
Ford’s announcement about its Oakville plant comes just a few weeks after the Detroit-based automaker said it will cut some 12,000 jobs in Europe as it streamlines its operations. The company had previously said it was closing six plants in Europe.
The decision is also the latest blow to the automotive manufacturing sector in Ontario in general; last November, General Motors announced that it will stop making cars in Oshawa, Ont.
