Ford plans to close French transmission plant if no buyer found
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Ford plans to close its Blanquefort gearbox plant in southwestern France if no buyer can be found for the site, which employs 900 workers,the automaker said in a statement.
Ford management presented a closure plan to unions at the factory to include layoffs and early retirements that may take effect from September 2019, the company said.
However, a Ford spokesman said the company was in talks with one potential buyer it declined to identify, citing a non-disclosure agreement. Transmissions supplier Punch Powerglide is in discussions with Ford over the plant, according to unconfirmed local press reports.
In a separate statement, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire described Ford’s layoffs plan as premature while a deal to salvage the factory and its jobs remained possible. Le Maire “strongly regrets this decision,” his office said.
Source: Automotive News