Ford's Sta. Rosa Plant has no future

[sachiel]

Apparently our govt only thinks of how to make themselves rich while other countries thinks on how to make their countries rich.

[beni23]

That's the problem with some other people even though they don't experience yet having one Ford cars they tell so many negative things. For me, I am happy and contented with my Ford Everest and I don’t mind what negative things they say.
It is really sad to hear that another Philippine car manufacturer will said goodbye...

We have 3 Ford cars and we have never encountered any problems except nung naondoy yung isa. Ford built tough ika nga.

[marg]

Unlike the Philippines, the Thais have a complete industrial infrastructure. They manufacture the parts in-country, unlike here were everything has to be imported in sub assemblies. That's the difference between a full and a half hearted goverment support.

Mas magaling ang mga Thais kaysa sa mga Pinoys. Pag landing ng mga Auto Executives sa Bangkok Airport panalo na sila sa deal.

There are a lot of things na hindi kaya ng Pilipinas that's why the investments go elsewhere.

[Glenn23]

kahit sang plant pa gawa yan at mas mahal kesa sa iba basta ako may ford. tapos.

I'm with you paps!!!!

[eljo3025]

Mas mataas din ang car sales ng thailand compared sa philippines. So why bither with the plant if local demand doesn't meet with the supply?

And car manufacturers can export their cars to neighboring countries by trucks instead by ships in thailand.

[Monseratto]

Ford throws in the towel...

Ford to shut down Philippine assembly operations
By: News 5
June 27, 2012 4:39 PM


MANILA - (UPDATED 5:43 p.m.) Ford Motor Co. Philippines will close down its Sta. Rosa, Laguna factory by the end of the year.

The company said the closure stems from the country's small automotive market and the global phase-out of the US carmaker's remaining Philippine-assembled model, the Ford Escape SUV.

“Today we announced that our Santa Rosa manufacturing operations in the Philippines will close at the end of this year. The plant closure is part of the restructuring of our regional manufacturing operations to improve efficiencies and costs, and better leverage economies of scale. During a lengthy and extensive assessment, Ford looked at every possible opportunity and scenario to bring a new product program to the Philippines, but ultimately we could not build a strong enough business case,” the company said in a statement issued on Wednesday.

Located at the Greenfield Automotive Park in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, Ford's $270-million factory can assemble 36,000 vehicles a year, across four different vehicle platforms. Besides the Escape, the Laguna plant used to assemble the Ford Lynx sedan, Ford Ranger, Mazda Tribute SUV, Mazda3 sedan and Ford Focus.

The factory employs 360 people, but its closure would displace 250, with the remaining 110 to stay on and support sales and marketing.

Ford was the only participant in the Philippine government's auto export program, having shipped 80,000 units worth more than $1 billion since 2002. Besides the Escape, the company had shipped the Focus and Mazda3 models to other Asean countries, including Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

The company ended local assembly of the Ranger in December 2002, followed by the Tribute in November 2009, the Mazda3 in January 2012 and the Focus this month.

Edward Krieger, Ford Philippines chief, had said the cost of building and shipping out a Focus from the Philippines was $1,500 more expensive than in Thailand. This gap was "too big" to justify the export of the model, he said.

The $400-per-unit fiscal incentive the Philippine government gave to the company expired two years ago. The company asked the Aquino administration to reinstate this fiscal perk to keep local production of the Escape to no avail.

Ford was one of the local car assemblers that had lobbied for a new motor vehicle development program, aimed at sustaining domestic manufacturing. The Aquino administration however had opted not to pursue the program.

[number001]

Support from the government, same thing Toyota Phils is asking for. Yet the government still won't budge.

[AKI125]

Sad and we have to face the reality. Mahina talaga ng car sales dito compared to other asean neighbors. Assemble it here then shipping it out plus lack of our government support would mean more cost for ford

[TholitzReloaded]

Di naman sila kawalan dahil marami pang car companies na magtatayo ng planta rito pero panay Chinese car companies nga lang like Chery and Foton.

I think kawalan sila, anyone business moving out of the Philippines is definitely kawalan be it small or as big as Ford bottom line is we should keep investments in the Philippines.

[TholitzReloaded]

Apparently our govt only thinks of how to make themselves rich while other countries thinks on how to make their countries rich.

I agree, I do hope this turns around.