Ford to slash NA production; S Ontario plants included
DETROIT — In an attempt to counter slumping sales, Ford Motor Co. has announced layoffs and massive production cuts at manufacturing facilities across North America.
The vehicle maker will slash its fourth-quarter production by 21 percent — about 168,000 vehicles — from year-earlier levels.
The move is expected to mean major layoffs in Canada at the company’s engine plants in Windsor, Ont., an assembly facility in St. Thomas, Ont., and related suppliers throughout automotive-dependant Southern Ontario.
Such manufacturing scalebacks also have a ripple effect on transportation providers along the Windsor-Montreal Hwy 401 corridor.
Ford’s sales in the U.S. crashed by 34 percent in July.
The company is struggling with slumping sales amid fierce competition — especially from Japanese vehicle makers. The company’s signature market — pickups and SUVs — also took heavy losses.
— with files from Associated Press
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