A sad day for FORD Australia

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Howard,

Indeed hard to believe, it even made the newspapers here. Ford is also closing it's plant at nearby Genk, Belgium, so it seems to be a global trend. Serves us right for driving around in 70 year old Fords, we should buy new ones. My first car was an umpeenth hand Fiesta, my last new Ford was a Focus back in 2001. But these days it's an Eastern Europe-built car with 90% German technology injected....

Ryan, sorry to hear about the imminent loss of your job.

Hanno

[Ryan]

I am greatful that I am not turning up to work to find the gates locked. Three years is a big heads up. Doesn't make the news any brighter though.
But it's such a loss, 90 years of history. The whole of manufacturing gone. Engine plant, Casting plant, Stamping plant in geelong and the assembly plant in broadmeadows.
We had been winding and cutting back but it was still a shock to most. We thought some would survive. Product development and the proving ground will remain but aussie Fords wont. They'll be foreign built cars. An Australia without a Falcon. Doesn't seem real.
Dearborn got its way.
They are happy to use our ideas and knowledge but they'll use cheap asian or indian labour to build them.
Falcon was never going to save Ford Australia. Getting onboard with a global platform would have. Being a building and export hub just like Toyota in Altona. Did you know Toyota just up the road is currently employing 140 workers and will soon be adding a third vehicle to its production? Last year they opened a brand new $300million engine plant.
They can do it. Why not Ford?
It's hard not to be angry and feel sold out.
And I knew about Genk too Hanno. It's crap. Selling out Belgium workers for cheap Romanian or further east labour.
History and pride and loyalty mean nothing to global execs on millions.
But we'll still build Falcons and Territories while we can, and we'll do it to a high standard with pride. Because we love what we do.
Yeah, and all this under a 'labour' government that has jobs, jobs, jobs as their priority. Pigs arse.
I worry for Holden.
A country that cannot manufacture its own goods is a country that cannot defend itself, no matter the courage it's soldiers may show.

[Ganmain Tony]

Firstly Ryan I want to say I am extremely sorry to hear about your job going. I reckon you would be devastated.

I must say this is hit me harder than I thought. My family have always had Falcons. I drive an 07 RTV ute, dedicated gas. It is a magnificent car.

What I find frustrating about this whole thing is ALL, yes thats right, ALL manufacturers of Motor vehicles receive government financial support across the globe

What is equally frustrating is when our dollar does drop back to 50 cents US, and it will.. we will be bitching how expensive foreign cars are getting. Not to mention whinging how expensive servicing them will be.

In a couple of years motoring magazines (some who in my opinion have contributed to Fords and the Falcons demise here) will write articles on the brilliantly designed and built cars that Ford used to make in this country.

Bottom line is they are not selling...and that reflects on the Australian consumer......

[David Dunlop]

Much the same thing here in Canada. Brilliant design and production work by GM, Ford and Chrysler throughout the war years, but by the late 1950's, all three companies are suddenly at risk of being moved out of Canada and the entire production being run out of US plants. Canada panics and signs what is called the AUTOPACT Agreement with the big three, the big political selling feature being the agreement would guarantee no job losses in Canada. The immediate price Canadians paid (and still pay) for this agreement is that all vehicles manufactured in Canada sell for thousands of dollars more in Canada than in the USA. And curiously, nobody in Canada has ever seemed to look at the numbers. There is no way the same number of workers for Ford, GM and Chrysler are still being employed today, as there were in the late 50's. Just ask anyone living in Oshawa or Windsor. Yet the Agreement is still in place! Sheeesh!

Ryan. At least you have a good lead in on this sad news. Who knows, maybe there is a big lottery winning waiting out there for you!

Best regards,


David