The Ford plant in Valencia has come into the spotlight following the first visit of Ford Europe President Jim Baumbick, who was appointed to this position in November last year. The executive held a meeting with union representatives and emphasized that the Valencia site will play a key role in the transformation of the company’s European business. This statement was made amid expectations for the launch of a new multi-energy vehicle, which is expected to provide the plant with much-needed workload and stability.
Currently, the plant in Almussafes is operating at minimal capacity: last year, less than 100,000 vehicles were produced here, with Kuga remaining the main model. Most employees are under a rotating ERTE scheme, made possible by the RED Mechanism approved by the government in December 2024. According to the largest trade union UGT, the launch of the new vehicle will gradually restore jobs and reduce the number of workers affected by temporary layoffs.
Expectations and prospects
Ford previously promised that the new model would give the plant a capacity of up to 300,000 cars a year. For the workforce, this is a chance for long-term employment and a recovery of production activity. Unions note that the agreement on transitioning to electrification, signed in 2022, became the foundation for obtaining government support and launching the new project. In the near future, the company plans to form working groups to oversee the implementation of the new model, which should speed up the plant’s exit from the crisis.
Context and Challenges
Ford’s business restructuring in Europe is accompanied by layoffs and plant closures, including the factory in Saarlouis (Germany). In addition, a contract was signed with Renault in December: the French carmaker will produce two electric vehicles for Ford based on the Renault 5 platform. The first will enter the market in early 2028 and will be assembled at the ElectriCity plant in northern France.
As automotive giants are forced to revise strategies and streamline production, the fate of Spanish factories becomes a particularly sensitive issue for local economies. In this context, attention to new projects and investments in Valencia is only increasing. Incidentally, interest in major events in Spain remains high in other sectors as well: recently, it was announced that Karol G will hold new stadium concerts in the country — you can read more about this in the article about the singer’s upcoming tour.
