Summary

  • Ford is projecting a reduction of 1,160 workers by 2021 at its Bridgend plant

  • Figures are in a leaked document written by the company and seen by BBC Wales

  • The factory employs about 1,800

  • Company says it has "healthy volumes to occupy the current workforce" for next two to three years

  • Ford currently manufactures 655,000 engines a year in Bridgend

  1. Coverage continues on Senedd Livepublished at 13:38 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2017

    This live page is closing, but the urgent question on Ford is being covered on the Senedd Live page.

  2. Ford, Bridgend and Erikapublished at 13:31 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2017

    A short animated history of Ford in Bridgend

    Media caption,

    Short history of how Ford in Bridgend was built

  3. PM offers 'reassurances'published at 13:28 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2017

    Theresa May responds to concerns about Ford at PMQs

    Bridgend MP Madeleine Moon told PMQs that families in the area were "frightened" about the Ford plant's future.

    Media caption,

    Ford job fears: Bridgend MP says families deeply worried

  4. PM: 'We'll continue to have regular dialogue with Ford'published at 13:13 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2017

    Theresa May

    Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, Theresa May said: "Ford is an important investor here. It's been established here for over 100 years. We now account for around a third of Ford's global engine production and Bridgend continues to be an important part of that.

    "We have had dialogue with Ford. We will continue to have a regular dialogue with Ford about the ways government can help to make sure this success continues." 

    Mrs May was responding to Bridgend Labour MP Madeleine Moon, who said families in her constituency were "frightened" that Ford would not bring new contracts in the factory "with the uncertainty of Brexit ahead of them". 

    She asked Mrs May to ensure her ministers to meet Ford and Unite the union about the threat to jobs at the Bridgend plant.

  5. 'Worrying news'published at 13:12 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2017

    Motoring journalist tweets

  6. FM: We need to work with Ford and unionspublished at 13:03 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2017

    Carwyn Jones says job cuts figures are a 'worst-case scenario'

    Media caption,

    Ford 'worst case scenario'

  7. MP 'stunned'published at 12:59 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2017

    BBC Wales political reporter Paul Martin tweets

    Madeleine Moon MP
  8. 'Regular dialogue'published at 12:50 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2017

    BBC Wales Westminster correspondent

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  9. Figures a 'worse-case scenario'published at 12:47 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2017

    Welsh Government in constant contact with Ford, minister says

    Carwyn Jones, First Minister

    First Minister Carwyn Jones has told BBC Wales reports of more than 1,000 job losses at Ford's Bridgend engine plant are "a worse case scenario". 

    Mr Jones said he had been in "constant contact" with Ford Europe and the Welsh Government would be working with the company to bring in new investment for the future. 

    He said: "There is work to be done but I am confident that we can strengthen Ford Bridgend's position."

    He added that the Bridgend management had "allowed work practices to develop that haven't been helpful" and that relations between the unions and managers were "not as good as they could be". 

    He rejected calls for him to speak to Ford management in the US,saying: "That would be pointless - all the decisions are being made by Ford in Europe."

  10. Local concernspublished at 12:45 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2017

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  11. 'Disturbing news'published at 12:41 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2017

    Labour MP tweets

    Quote Message

    Really disturbing news for lots of Rhondda families.

    Chris Bryant, Labour MP for the Rhondda

    Chris Bryant MP
  12. How Ford arrived in Bridgendpublished at 12:38 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2017

    Ford Escort
    Image caption,

    The mark III Ford Escort was nearly called the Ford Erika after its development name

    Ford chose Bridgend for its new engine plant in the summer of 1977 after competition from elsewhere in Europe, chiefly from Ireland, writes BBC Wales economic correspondent Sarah Dickins .

    It needed an engine for its new model - codenamed Erika - which was designed to rescue the company from the doldrums, especially in Europe and America.

    The car became the next generation Ford Escort, and would be built at Halewood on Merseyside and at Saarlouis in Germany from 1980.

    The American company looked at sites in Briton Ferry, Shotton and was close to choosing Llantrisant before opting for development land in Bridgend.

  13. Wales Office statementpublished at 12:33 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2017

    A Wales Office spokesperson has said that Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns met Ford officials yesterday and "discussed various issues at the plant, including the natural life cycle of engines made there and ongoing plans for modernisation". 

    He said he would "continue to positively engage with Ford at Bridgend".

  14. Ford sites across Europepublished at 12:29 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2017

    A map showing Ford's sites across Europe
  15. Corbyn hopes workers get 'assurances they need'published at 12:21 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2017

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    Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has raised the future of the Ford plant in Bridgend during prime minister's questions in the House of Commons.

    Mr Corbyn told MPs he hopes Ford workers in Bridgend "get today the assurances they need about their job security and their futures". 

    Both the Labour leader, who was wearing a daffodil in his lapel, and the prime minister wished everyone a happy St David's Day before returning to more traditional political exchanges.

  16. 'Losing out in global race'published at 12:18 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2017

    BBC Wales economic correspondent Sarah Dickins looks at the history of Ford in the UK and how the company's strategy has changed in recent decades.

    Ford global map
    Image caption,

    Stand-alone engine plants are a rarity in Ford's global operations

  17. Ford mentioned in PMQspublished at 12:06 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2017

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  18. Urgent question in the assemblypublished at 12:05 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2017

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  19. Ford Bridgend by numberspublished at 12:04 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2017

    Ford Bridgend from the airImage source, Google
    • Current total employment: 1,800  
    • Current products: 1.25 L 4-cyl, Fiesta 1.4 L 4-cyl, Fiesta, B-MAX 1.6 L Ti-VCT - Fiesta, B-MAX, Focus, C-MAX, Grand C-MAX, Mondeo 1.6 L EcoBoost, C-MAX, Grand C-MAX , Mondeo, S-MAX and Galaxy 
    • Year opened: 1980 
    • Site size in acres: 60 
    • Plant size in square feet: 1,525,320
  20. 'Very worrying' timespublished at 11:59 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2017

    Citizen Advice Cymru spokesman