Ford to Temporarily Shut Its Operations at Claycomo

Ford Motor Company will hold back the production of its F-150 units in Claycomo for two weeks. This is primarily due to the reduced condition of sales of the automotive company.

According to a news report from kansascity.com, United Auto Workers Representative Jim Stoufer announced that Ford will shut unit construction at the Claycomo plant starting next week.

Sources say that a certain amendment on work schedule was agreed upon by the management of Ford and the labor union. When the operation resumes, the workers shall work 10 hours a day, four times a week. Employees from Claycomo plant and other factories shall be subjected to this schedule. Such an aggressive change in working conditions at the Claycomo plant and other auto production facilities was ventured into by Ford with the hope of trimming down its production costs.

For the early two weeks of October that Claycomo plant will cease its operations, more than 2,000 workers shall undergo an unpaid leave. On the other hand, plants that manufacture models Mercury Mariner SUVs and Ford Escapes will go on with their original work schedule that permits overtime.

F-series trucks experienced a 12 percent decrease in sales during the first months of this year. According to Stoufer, Ford is trying to be very careful in dealing with the F-series because of its present sales performance and the existing economic situation.

In its aim to boost the company standing, the management of Ford is generating a lot of efforts to cut the costs of its production. Recent reports showed that there was a Ford F-150 facility in Norfolk that underwent permanent stoppage prior to the closing of the Claycomo plant.