Media: Ford To Close Plant In Belgium, Export American Cars To Europe

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

GM is not the only U.S. automaker that wants to close a plant in Europe, and Ford is thinking about more than the end of the road for Alan Mulally. German press, from the industry magazine Automobil Produktion to the German edition of the Wall Street Journal are talking about Ford shuttering its plant in Genk, Belgium.

Neither of them received a confirmation by Ford.

The Genk plant is home to 4,000 workers. Their misfortunes could be good news for UAW members. Genk predominately makes the Ford Mondeo, sold in the U.S. as the Fusion. Ford is increasing capacities stateside. “If European models would roll off the lines in America, shuttering the Belgian location would be reasonable,” orcacles the WSJ.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • Tresmonos Tresmonos on Sep 13, 2012

    1.5 hour drive to the Niehl Pilot Plant, half of that to the Lommel Proving Grounds... that would be very similar to when Ford shuttered Wixom. The local union contract expires in 2014. Seeing they just launched a new platform there, this doesn't pass the smell test. Then again, Norfolk Assembly got shut down right after it received a flexible body shop.

    • Musiccitymafia Musiccitymafia on Sep 13, 2012

      The politics of treading around unions leads to some crazy insane actions.

  • Rnc Rnc on Sep 13, 2012

    Just like doing a contract before GM or Chryco could helped push them into bankruptcy, closing a plant in belgium before Opel has a chance too (thus setting the cost as they did with the UAW), Ford can help push Opel over the edge and they would be primary beneficiaries. They aren't going to close plant in Germany or England now and spain is the 4th largest economy in EU, Belgium is completely disfunctional (doesn't have a functioning government currently and a debt/gdp ratio that would make the greeks happy.)

  • Itsnotagsr Itsnotagsr on Sep 13, 2012

    From a capacity persepctive, shuttering a European plant to centre Fusion/Mondeo production make sense. However, having a European plant provides a natural currency hedge. Look at whats happening to the Japanese manufacturers with the strong Yen. It could be the same for Ford/GM if they shutter plants in Europe now. Need to look at the wider picture.

  • Motormouth Motormouth on Sep 14, 2012

    It should be remembered that Ford's Belgian plant also produces Volvos, but maybe the Swedes will be complicit in closing the facility as Geely looks to fill capacity at the series of plants they're obliged to build in China.

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