parts blockade ends Ford restarts Genk production


Ford has restarted production at its factory in Genk, after a blockade by workers over plans to shut the site ended.

Before this week, Ford hadn’t shipped a vehicle from Genk since saying Oct. 24 that the plant will shut for good in 2014, as walkouts compounded the effects of scheduled suspensions. The permanent shutdown is part of an effort to end losses in Europe that may exceed $1.5 billion a year in 2012 and 2013.

“We are pleased to be building and shipping vehicles again and are working to get the factory quickly up to full production,” said Adrian Schmitz, a spokesman for the carmaker’s European operations in Cologne, Germany, said.

An agreement between Ford and unions to restart production was approved by workers earlier this month, but  failed after protesters blocked an adjacent supplier area.

The agreement with Genk labor leaders, which outlines extra money paid to workers for meeting production targets, was slated to allow Ford to restart production Jan. 9 and ramp up output to 1,000 vehicles a day at the factory, according to unions.