Ford Manufacturing Unit: Ford rolls out the latest vehicle from its Tamil Nadu manufacturing unit | Rare Techy

Automaker Ford has rolled out the last car from its Tamil Nadu manufacturing plant, which will be shut down this month as part of a restructuring. The facility at Maraimalai Nagar, about 45 km from Chennai, was in operation for over 25 years and is under threat of closure as the Indian subsidiary shuts down its facilities at Sanand in Gujarat and Maraimalai Nagar in Tamil Nadu. part of Ford India’s restructuring.

Tata Motors had announced the signing of a tripartite agreement with Ford and the Gujarat government to acquire the American carmaker’s Sanand-based vehicle manufacturing unit.

The Chennai plant is on the verge of closure as discussions to take over the facility to another carmaker have not materialized yet.

On Wednesday, videos and pictures emerged on social media of a white EcoSport sports utility vehicle, one of Ford’s popular flower-adorned models, rolling off the assembly line as workers were seen standing next to it. in the factory.

The SUV was the last to roll off the assembly line, and the company will continue producing aftermarket parts through the end of the month, a company official said Thursday.

“Yes, the last export duty vehicle rolled out of the final assembly yesterday (Wednesday), while the rest of the aftermarket, parts and sub-assemblies work continues at the Chennai plant,” a company spokesperson told PTI on Thursday.

News of the plant closure did not bode well for representatives of the Chennai Ford workers’ union, which went on strike in 2021 soon after the company announced its decision to shut down production units in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.

The workers continued their protests in May this year to get better severance pay.

“…the company remains committed to achieving a fair and balanced severance outcome and has been in ongoing discussions with the union. The company had increased the average equivalent days of severance to an average of 121 days,” the spokesperson said. .

“Cumulative amounts of adjustment components will continue to be subject to a minimum of Rs 30 thousand and a maximum of Rs 80 thousand,” he added.

Ford has abandoned plans to build electric vehicles in India for export, despite government approval for manufacturing incentives.