Ford production to fall to 80 cars a day

[DanielXR8]

From GoAuto
Ford production to fall to 80 cars a day

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...257C7F001D873F

Ford production to fall to 80 cars a day

Ford Slowing down: Ford’s build rate at its Broadmeadows plant was 450 cars a day in 2006 – until it announced in October that year that it was cutting 20 per cent from this. From June 2014, the daily line rate will be down to 80-90 cars.
Slowing down: Ford’s build rate at its Broadmeadows plant was 450 cars a day in 2006 – until it announced in October that year that it was cutting 20 per cent from this. From June 2014, the daily line rate will be down to 80-90 cars.
Line rate for Ford’s Broadmeadows plant to drop to as low as 80 cars a day from June
[Munched]
14 February 2014
By TERRY MARTIN
FORD will cut the line rate at its Broadmeadows assembly plant in Victoria to as low as 80 vehicles a day in June as the company continues to realign production to the dwindling demand for its Australian-built vehicles.

Ford Australia has told GoAuto that the line rate will be reduced to between 80 and 90 vehicles a day at the factory, having already cut back its output in January to 133 cars a day while at the same time shifting some of its workforce onto its new-model programs.

Last year, the company was producing cars at a rate of 149 vehicles a day, which is the level set in November 2012 when the company pulled back from 209 cars a day and reduced its workforce by 330, most of which were forced redundancies.

Only eight years ago, the build rate at Broadmeadows was 450 cars a day – or 65 cars an hour – but it has been spiralling downward since then.

As previously reported, this latest action comes at a cost of another 300 jobs, cutting the payroll numbers at the company’s major sites at Broadmeadows and Geelong to about 700.

Although January sales are notoriously slow, both the Falcon sedan and Territory SUV fell 41 per cent last month, to just 461 and 681 units respectively, while 237 new Falcon utilities were registered.

Last year, Ford sold only 10,610 Falcon sedans, down 24 per cent on 2012, the ute was below 5000 units on 4679 (down 18 per cent) and Territory managed 14,261 sales (down 3 per cent). All up, sales across the three model lines totalled less than 30,000 units.

Ford Australia communications and public affairs director Wes Sherwood said February sales were continuing to reflect weak demand for the large vehicles the company produces.

However, he would not be drawn on whether the adjusted line rate of 80 vehicles a day was as low as the company could manage, potentially forcing it to close down its manufacturing operations earlier than the planned shutdown in October 2016.

“We’re not really getting into details of our manufacturing plans,” he said.

“We plan to manufacture our vehicles until October 2016 – that is still our plan – but if there are some sort of major disruptions across our operations or something in the market, then we may have to go back and re-evaluate our plans.

“Our focus, really, is to help ensure an orderly transition in the industry – for our employees, for our suppliers – so that’s really where we’re focused on. Obviously, there are manufacturing implications, but in terms of what our focus is on, we’re trying to do what’s right for the industry and our employees.”

Mr Sherwood would not comment on the extent to which Ford’s parts suppliers remained viable over the next two years, especially in the wake of Toyota’s announcement this week that it was following Holden in shutting down its factories here in 2017.

However, he said Ford Australia would continue to work with its supply chain to help ensure supplies continued until 2016.

“Really, what we are looking for is as smooth a transition as possible, understanding that there are going to be difficulties and watching for any major disruptions,” he said.

“As part of helping ensure an orderly transition for the entire industry, a key part of that is working with the suppliers to make sure they can support our intent to manufacture through October 2016.

“I don’t want to get into characterising our ongoing discussions, but that is the focus of what we talk to them about.”

In terms of the pressure now ramping up on all three car-makers, with calls this week for import tariffs to be removed and taxpayer funding received in recent years to be handed back, Mr Sherwood said Ford was a different case to Toyota and Holden in that it would still have a significant workforce in Australia after it closed down its manufacturing operations.

“The thing we’re trying to emphasise is that Ford is actually different,” he said.

“We have, and plan to still have, a significant engineering and design ... operations base into the future.

“In fact, assuming all the actions that have been announced take place (with Toyota and Holden), we will be Australia’s largest employer for the type of highly skilled engineering and design jobs of which we have approximately 1000 of those.

“So our emphasis is really on helping the public understand that difference because we are absolutely committed to this market and we think, unfortunately, people are discussing it as if the companies are all in the same situation when, in fact, we’re not.”

Ford Slowing down: Ford’s build rate at its Broadmeadows plant was 450 cars a day in 2006 – until it announced in October that year that it was cutting 20 per cent from this. From June 2014, the daily line rate will be down to 80-90 cars.

[Syndrome]

Wow. I remember when they were doing 520 a day.........

[joolz]

Originally Posted by Syndrome

Wow. I remember when they were doing 520 a day.........

Wow I remember when we were supplying 700 driveshafts a day. 1 drivesahft per car. That was in 2003-2004.

[mik]

Sad days indeed, to be expected though.

[Road_Warrior]

Wasn't this announced a couple of weeks ago or whatever...?

[EASYBOSS]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

Wasn't this announced a couple of weeks ago or whatever...?

yep, here

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11413387

[Franco Cozzo]

If people aren't buying them, what do you expect?

[Whitey-AMG]

Is this a combination of sedan / ute and terri ?
So @ 25 of each per day. What's the split. Has falcon dived under 40 per day ?
Production til 2016, how and why at this rate ?

[Syndrome]

I remember when I visited the Mitsubishi plant in their final years and was on the assembly line I said to the SQA "oh so they are on a break?" as the assembly line appeared to be stationary. On closer inspection the line was moving but at a snails pace. It was disheartening to see as I remember the same place 10 years earlier was doing 280+ cars a days. I suspect the Ford plant would look equally depressing at 80 cars per day.

[bobthebilda]

Originally Posted by Syndrome

I remember when I visited the Mitsubishi plant in their final years and was on the assembly line I said to the SQA "oh so they are on a break?" as the assembly line appeared to be stationary. On closer inspection the line was moving but at a snails pace. It was disheartening to see as I remember the same place 10 years earlier was doing 280+ cars a days. I suspect the Ford plant would look equally depressing at 80 cars per day.

At 12 cars an hour or so, with a car every 10 metres (just a guess from observation of holdens line 6 years ago), the line will be running at around 120 metres per hour, 2 metres per minute, they may be able to keep one guy employed cranking the line.

[zilo]

Originally Posted by Syndrome

I remember when I visited the Mitsubishi plant in their final years and was on the assembly line I said to the SQA "oh so they are on a break?" as the assembly line appeared to be stationary. On closer inspection the line was moving but at a snails pace. It was disheartening to see as I remember the same place 10 years earlier was doing 280+ cars a days. I suspect the Ford plant would look equally depressing at 80 cars per day.

Umm...yeah...
But a significant number of magnas were being exported to the US as a "Daimante" (some times more than 200 a day)
They didn't get an export contract with the 380.
Was one of the main reasons they went down the gurgler...

[The G6ET Spot]

Originally Posted by DanielXR8

From GoAuto
Ford production to fall to 80 cars a day

Ford Australia communications and public affairs director Wes Sherwood said February sales were continuing to reflect weak demand for the large vehicles the company produces.

However, he would not be drawn on whether the adjusted line rate of 80 vehicles a day was as low as the company could manage, potentially forcing it to close down its manufacturing operations earlier than the planned shutdown in October 2016.
“We’re not really getting into details of our manufacturing plans,” he said.

“We plan to manufacture our vehicles until October 2016 – that is still our plan – but if there are some sort of major disruptions across our operations or something in the market, then we may have to go back and re-evaluate our plans.

Two pretty big statements in there that leads me to believe that Ford will close well before the 2016 date.

Especially with only producing 80 cars a day which would be unsustainable.

[SavVYute]

One of these Fords being built now could be a good buy. Things going a bit slower along the line theres more time to assemble one with more care / less rush.
Or don't assembly lines work that way?

[Fordman1]

Originally Posted by SavVYute

One of these Fords being built now could be a good buy. Things going a bit slower along the line theres more time to assemble one with more care / less rush.
Or don't assembly lines work that way?

Fewer people, and more things to do per person in more time.

In theory quality should be the same but who knows ?

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by Barraxr8

Fewer people, and more things to do per person in more time.

In theory quality should be the same but who knows ?

...but less people to do the same amount of assembly work.

[2011G6E]

And done by people who know that in the "shockingly short notice period" of three fricking years that they won't have a job.

I mean, you'd hope they're going to do the right thing, but history shows what happens when a workforce has a loooong time notice that they won't have a job...think British Leyland, etc. Quality just goes downhill...fast.

[rdmr]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

And done by people who know that in the "shockingly short notice period" of three fricking years that they won't have a job.

I mean, you'd hope they're going to do the right thing, but history shows what happens when a workforce has a loooong time notice that they won't have a job...think British Leyland, etc. Quality just goes downhill...fast.

So sick of this crap. You'd hope the average Aussie would stick up for his mate in a time of crisis but you get this. Quality won't suffer as those that are left are dedicated, passionate and veterans.
Seriously if you think otherwise go buy a Korean car and **** off from here.

[pottery beige]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

And done by people who know that in the "shockingly short notice period" of three fricking years that they won't have a job.

I mean, you'd hope they're going to do the right thing, but history shows what happens when a workforce has a loooong time notice that they won't have a job...think British Leyland, etc. Quality just goes downhill...fast.

another example of you talking out of your ***

hey wow! i was recently made redundant in vehicle manuf

we all knew the tap on the shoulder was coming

we didnt care, we were smashing out the highest quality vehicles right until the end with pride

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

And done by people who know that in the "shockingly short notice period" of three fricking years that they won't have a job.

I mean, you'd hope they're going to do the right thing, but history shows what happens when a workforce has a loooong time notice that they won't have a job...think British Leyland, etc. Quality just goes downhill...fast.

Another Einstein post by you. What a shock. If anything quality has become more of a priority now that the numbers have dropped, and the dead wood was cleaned out 18 months ago leaving a solid crew of the best and most experienced.

But you know better right?

And do you think it's better to know you will be losing your job in the future, but who knows when, having it constantly running through your thoughts day after day or to have it done on the spot where you get a clean break and the chance to move onto a new job the next day.

Walk a mile in someones elses shoes you absolute tool.

[SavVYute]

Originally Posted by Barraxr8

Fewer people, and more things to do per person in more time.

In theory quality should be the same but who knows ?

If that was the case the guys would be running back and forward along the line to different assembly stations. I can't really see that happening.

Maybe they clock on in the morning and are all done by smoko.

[SavVYute]

I'm going to be an optimist. I think the vehicles they're building now will be better than average. Real gems with just that bit more care taken.

[GASWAGON]

I have mentioned before that if things get really bad they might actually close down sooner than later.....Any of the BIG 3 of them that is.

BIG news like this changes peoples perceptions of the economy and it also makes people spend less and save more knowing that the future is bleak, so new cars are the first on the list of budgeting/saving for the future.

[shaynet84]

why would anyone buy them when there not ever advertised , its self destruction , ford usa have wanted to shut shop here for years ,

[Trump]

FH won't see the light of day with numbers like those.

[fte50]

Well said - certainly more tools than Falcons. Car Industry experts that earn their money cutting grass for a living.

[GREGL]

Spoken like a true unionist . So now management is smart , perhaps if they were able to get rid of the " deadwood " years ago they might have been in a better position before it got to this point . All bye and bye now of course .

[fte50]

.... get a life.
Perhaps they needed to employee more hero's like ur self to undermine Australia's working conditions and forego public holidays, penalty rates, rdo's, sick leave etc. Oh but hang on, yes I know, the right wing tossas actually enjoy and relish what the left has achieved.

[P6LTD351]

Originally Posted by fte50

.... get a life.
Perhaps they needed to employee more hero's like ur self to undermine Australia's working conditions and forego public holidays, penalty rates, rdo's, sick leave etc. Oh but hang on, yes I know, the right wing tossas actually enjoy and relish what the left has achieved.

Whilst I agree that we enjoy these 'entitlements', the impact of the 'abuse' of these entitlements is what is crippling many industries.

I work in a Government Department and our main issue is that of sick leave. Our agreement is VERY generous with employees accruing 18 days sick leave per year. Might I add that they accrue for as long as the employee is working there. I.e., work 2 years, you accrue 36 days etc - they don't lose them. Many private organisations only get 10 and some don't carry over to the next year. As a Manager, I have no problem when people use their sick leave IF THEY ARE SICK. The trouble with Australian workplace culture is that many people believe that these sick leave days are also to be used when they ARE NOT SICK. They view them as an 'entitlement' rather than an 'insurance'. Productivity drops and the costs rise. Doesn't matter whether it's public or private industry - it's the same thing.

I would like a union delegate to explain to me why it is good practice to have union members standing outside a workplace with fake 'sick bags' with info inside on how to take sick leave and the minimal information that they need to give their boss when calling in sick. I would think a union would want to have a high performing and RELIABLE workforce representing them. Unfortunately that is rarely the case in the area that I work in (Think a large Gov dept of over 35000 staff).

We have fantastic conditions, great pay, yet we cannot get our attendance figures to improve. As Managers, we need to take some responsibility for this. Alas, I think we are shovelling the proverbial up a hill due to our Australian workplace culture. I do want to say that 99% of my workers give 110% when they are at work. It's just this entitlement and feeling that it's OK to 'chuck a sickie' that is at the heart of many problems in all industries.

I'll leave you with this little article re Toyota. It's something that I put to my workers in a hope that it will place some context. Government job or not - anything can be sub contracted out these days and regardless of the union promoting that it's ok to 'chuck a sickie' as that's your 'entitlement', I value my job and I also value my workers and want them to KEEP THEIR JOB.


A panellist on a current affairs program related an instance many would have missed. Toyota CEO, Akio Toyoda, was giving a luncheon address to a business group, (paraphrased):

“Two years ago we were working so hard to create conditions whereby we could stay in this wonderful country and produce cars.

"We had restructured the business and, despite acceding to recent union demands for even better wages and conditions, we were seeing a dim light flickering at the end of the tunnel.

“We were honest with our employees and had explained the seriousness of the company’s economic plight.

"They had assured us of their cooperation, so we determined to all pull together in a desperate attempt keep the company viable.

“There was an air of camaraderie, a feeling of hope.

“It was Australia Day that week and it fell on a Thursday. On the Friday thirty percent of our workforce didn’t turn up, thirty percent called in sick.

“That’s when I finally realised we were stuffed.” from Larry Pickering

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by P6LTD351

Whilst I agree that we enjoy these 'entitlements', the impact of the 'abuse' of these entitlements is what is crippling many industries.

I work in a Government Department and our main issue is that of sick leave. Our agreement is VERY generous with employees accruing 18 days sick leave per year. Might I add that they accrue for as long as the employee is working there. I.e., work 2 years, you accrue 36 days etc - they don't lose them. Many private organisations only get 10 and some don't carry over to the next year. As a Manager, I have no problem when people use their sick leave IF THEY ARE SICK. The trouble with Australian workplace culture is that many people believe that these sick leave days are also to be used when they ARE NOT SICK. They view them as an 'entitlement' rather than an 'insurance'. Productivity drops and the costs rise. Doesn't matter whether it's public or private industry - it's the same thing.

I would like a union delegate to explain to me why it is good practice to have union members standing outside a workplace with fake 'sick bags' with info inside on how to take sick leave and the minimal information that they need to give their boss when calling in sick. I would think a union would want to have a high performing and RELIABLE workforce representing them. Unfortunately that is rarely the case in the area that I work in (Think a large Gov dept of over 35000 staff).

We have fantastic conditions, great pay, yet we cannot get our attendance figures to improve. As Managers, we need to take some responsibility for this. Alas, I think we are shovelling the proverbial up a hill due to our Australian workplace culture. I do want to say that 99% of my workers give 110% when they are at work. It's just this entitlement and feeling that it's OK to 'chuck a sickie' that is at the heart of many problems in all industries.

I'll leave you with this little article re Toyota. It's something that I put to my workers in a hope that it will place some context. Government job or not - anything can be sub contracted out these days and regardless of the union promoting that it's ok to 'chuck a sickie' as that's your 'entitlement', I value my job and I also value my workers and want them to KEEP THEIR JOB.


A panellist on a current affairs program related an instance many would have missed. Toyota CEO, Akio Toyoda, was giving a luncheon address to a business group, (paraphrased):

“Two years ago we were working so hard to create conditions whereby we could stay in this wonderful country and produce cars.

"We had restructured the business and, despite acceding to recent union demands for even better wages and conditions, we were seeing a dim light flickering at the end of the tunnel.

“We were honest with our employees and had explained the seriousness of the company’s economic plight.

"They had assured us of their cooperation, so we determined to all pull together in a desperate attempt keep the company viable.

“There was an air of camaraderie, a feeling of hope.

“It was Australia Day that week and it fell on a Thursday. On the Friday thirty percent of our workforce didn’t turn up, thirty percent called in sick.

“That’s when I finally realised we were stuffed.” from Larry Pickering

That makes me laugh. Ford always schedule pdo's on days that fall between a public holiday and a weekend, melbourne cup for example, where the monday is always a pdo before the cup tuesday. That avoids these problems. Common sense isnt it to avoid issues like that happening. Toyota management incompetence to solve the issue is just as bad as the blokes who took sickies. It would have been an easy fix.

[GREGL]

Originally Posted by fte50

.... get a life.
Perhaps they needed to employee more hero's like ur self to undermine Australia's working conditions and forego public holidays, penalty rates, rdo's, sick leave etc. Oh but hang on, yes I know, the right wing tossas actually enjoy and relish what the left has achieved.

Actually truth be told I didn't have a problem leaning to the left in my younger days , they actually had an ideology that focused on at least trying to make life better for the worker . I am finding it hard to pick much of a difference between them nowadays , but yourself having a vested interest ( return for your money ) seem to think anyone that has a opinion that differs is a radical conservative .
Pal I have news for you , I like many Australians are getting tired of the same old bleating about sickies , holiday pay and public holidays and how you fought for them . You didn't fight for them and neither did the current bunch of tools that are in opposition . They were fought for by a group of people decades ago who had a lot more moral standing and ethics than your current bunch . Only thing their good at is stabbing each other in the back in the quest for power .