Ford Closing Hazelwood Plant

January 23rd, 2006
from the Post-Dispatch:
Ford Motor Co. reportedly will close at least 10 assembly and parts plants, including those in Hazelwood and Atlanta, and lay off close to 30,000 hourly and salaried employees over the next four years, according to an article on the Wall Street Journal Online.
Citing anonymous sources “familiar with the plan,” Wall Street Journal said the automaker may not identify all the facilities that it plans to close when Ford announces its “Way Forward” restructuring plan on Monday morning. However, the Journal said the Hazelwood plant — where about 1,450 work — would be among those facilities that Ford plans to close. A Ford spokeswoman declined to comment on the story, saying the automaker would unveil its restructuring plan on Monday.
Declining market share and the sudden loss in popularity of its truck-based sport utility vehicles have left Ford with too many North American factories and workers to operate efficiently and profitably. Analysts say Ford could shutter as many as five assembly plants — shaving off rough a quarter of the automaker’s current production capacity.Other assembly plants mentioned for possible closure are those in Wixom, Mich.;St. Paul, Minn.; Cuautitlán, a suburb of Mexico City; and St. Thomas, Ontario.