What is going on?
Looks Like Ford is gaining on that Iceberg straight ahaead a little quicker than we thought. :S
Didn't Anne Stevens originally support or push the idea of mass layoffs within Ford? Sounds like she jumped ship also........
PS - I didn't reed the articles in the link, basically don't have time to sign up for it right now........
Oscar The Grouch,Sep 14 2006, 03:44 PM Wrote:ZTWsquared,Sep 14 2006, 03:36 PM Wrote:All UAW workers at Ford (every last one of them) to be offered a buyout package
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I wonder how Meford will react to this. :rolleyes:
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It's a very nice incentive and alot of the older workforce will leave. Not me.
We are hearing that St. Thomas will get the axe today. Only a rumour. This new CEo was brought in specifically to cut cut cut. Not a great time at Ford.
News this morning at 7am............White collar workforce will be hardest hit. 14000 gone in NA. All hourly employees offered buyout package.
more news at 9am.
Ford will introduce an all-new full-size crossover based on the Ford
Fairlane concept. The seven-passenger vehicle for modern families goes
on sale in 2008 and will be produced at Ford's Oakville (Ontario,
Canada) Assembly Plant.
^^^That's now official^^^
And more here...............
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti...5/FREE/60915003
St. Thomas safe for now. Windsor Casting got the axe.
I hope that Ford can get things straightened out.
Perhaps if they brought over some European spec vehicles, and emphasized some excitment in their line up. it might get better.
Its funny how they always announce layoffs/buyouts or some sort of cost cutting measure arround the same time they talk about a new model being produced.
It's funny because I was watching a news report on it lastnight from the U.S. and theier saying that Ford has lost 8billion dollars last year. Losses in sales of Pick-up trucks, and thirsty S.U.Vs. (Maybe the reason gas is so cheap these days is an underlying conspiracy to save the U.S. auto makers)
It makes no sence. The media is claiming the slump in S.U.V. sales is to blame....yet they are boasting about the new S.U.V. van thingy their pushing out of Oakville.
I dunno, it all makes my head hurt.
ANTHONYD,Sep 15 2006, 07:57 AM Wrote:It makes no sence. The media is claiming the slump in S.U.V. sales is to blame....yet they are boasting about the new S.U.V. van thingy their pushing out of Oakville.
I dunno, it all makes my head hurt.
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Just like the SUV is not a minivan, the cross-over-vehicle (EDGE) is not a SUV.
But if those "larger" vehicles are the problem....why continue producing cars nobody can sell? :blink:
ANTHONYD,Sep 15 2006, 09:53 AM Wrote:But if those "larger" vehicles are the problem....why continue producing cars nobody can sell? :blink:
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Those larger vehicles are not the problem; people still have 3 or 4 kids and need seating for 5 or 7.
The problem is a company relying heavily on sales of those products when the demographic buying them do so for want instead of need.
The single guy, no kids across the street that drives 70k to work doesn't NEED his Explorer. He WANTED it. That was great for Ford because they made a big profit on a vehicle the customer didn't need. Now that gas is high, will he buy another big vehicle? Probably not.
The bad news is when you "rely" on sales like that to prop up your bottom line.
The Edge and MKX are not SUVs, they have seating for 5, drive like a car, decent cargo space and better gas mileage than an SUV. Comparing them to an SUV is like comparing the Fusion to a Ranger.
Ford has like the Number one vehicle in almost every segment in Europe, and they are also one of the most desired brands in Australia too. Neither of which has a large truck segment.
Wonder why Ford does better outside it's own turf...
Oh wait, they build whats practical to the enviroment they'd be driven in, and they build what CUSTOMERS ASK FOR...not what some fat cats in the states want, or wanted over a decade ago...
Drivesthebeast,Sep 15 2006, 11:50 AM Wrote:Oh wait, they build whats practical to the enviroment they'd be driven in, and they build what CUSTOMERS ASK FOR...not what some fat cats in the states want, or wanted over a decade ago...
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Ford sold nearly 1 MILLION trucks last year. 3-4 years ago the Explorer was a top seller. Ford gave customers what they wanted.
Ford failed to react fast enough to a changing market, partially because SUVs make money hand over fist. Because they were the golden geese.
If as you said, Ford is a #1 product abroad, why is it not making money...?
Anyone? Anyone?
A. Because you have to sell 2.5 to 4 European small cars to match the profit on 1 SUV.
That's a lot of money.
ANTHONYD,Sep 15 2006, 08:53 AM Wrote:But if those "larger" vehicles are the problem....why continue producing cars nobody can sell? :blink:
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I attribute the whole SUV thing to P envy... that's it, that's all... if half the SUV's out there were used for what they were intended to do, that would be a different story. We're part of a generation where "bigger is better".... but with everything changing so quickly around us, we need to adapt and regain firm ground that sometimes bigger is not the best.
ZX5chica,Sep 15 2006, 12:30 PM Wrote:I attribute the whole SUV thing to P envy... that's it, that's all... [right][snapback]207232[/snapback][/right]
Funny you mention that. I know a lot of women that hate minivans that have SUVs.
If they have penis envy, does that make them lesbians?
:ph34r:
OAC_Sparky,Sep 15 2006, 12:21 PM Wrote:If as you said, Ford is a #1 product abroad, why is it not making money...?
Anyone? Anyone?
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Not sure what your premise is ... but Ford in Europe
is profitable -- making approximately $200 million in the first half of this year ... and that's with a market share of about half what Ford NA has.
The enormous loss that Ford is reporting all comes from North American operations and that's the harsh reality. Ford in Europe and Australia have done a much better job than Ford NA ... for example:
Ford of Europe has three major things going for it that Ford NA doesn't:
1) a production capacity that's comparable to their sales volume - most of their plants operate at 100% capacity and above.
2) a product lineup that is competitive and accurately aligned with consumer requirements (and the European market is a lot tougher than NA with many more manufacturers and many more models available)
3) Because of the products they've offered over the years, the Ford brand in Europe stands for exciting, affordable and good quality vehicles on par with other European and Japanese makes -- the Ford brand image in NA is not good - damaged by everything from the Firestone tire recall to the launch of the Focus and a dozen other things we are all aware of.
I still gotta job, I still gotta job!
For now.
And I cross my fingers every week that the paycheque doesn't bounce.