Auto industry
Ford sends Cologne employees on short-time work
The weak demand for electric cars is also causing problems for Ford. This has consequences for the employees in the Cologne plant.
The car manufacturer Ford is introducing short-time work in Cologne in view of the weak demand for electric cars. “The significantly lower than expected demand for electric vehicles, especially in Germany, requires a temporary adjustment to production volumes in the Cologne Electric Vehicle Center,” said a Ford spokeswoman. The company will apply to the Federal Employment Agency for short-time work due to the rapidly deteriorating market conditions for electric vehicles. The “Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger” (Wednesday) had previously reported in advance. According to the car manufacturer, short-time work was requested for a total of three weeks.
The electric models Explorer and Capri roll off the production line in the Cologne factory. “We produce more than we can sell,” the “Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger” quotes from an internal letter. Like the entire auto industry, Ford is struggling with weak sales in Germany and Europe. Consumers’ reluctance to buy electric cars and the end of subsidies in Germany are causing problems for car manufacturers.
Ford has already cut thousands of jobs at its Cologne site in recent years. In 2018, the car manufacturer still had almost 20,000 employees in the cathedral city, this summer there were around 13,000.
dpa
Source: Stern
