Ford’s drastic transformation plan that includes the reduction of salaried-related costs by 15% until August 1, 2008, has claimed dozens of design and engineering positions at its U.S. facilities. According to a report from Wall Street Journal, the scene at the company’s product development center in Dearborn, Michigan on Thursday, July 31, was described as dramatic by observers with at least one engineer had to be escorted out of the building by security guards. -Continued
The reports states that the involuntary layoffs took their toll in Ford’s U.S. design operations which saw half of the company’s 50 design modellers and three-quarters of its scanners (specialists that scan clay models and turn them into digital information) lose their jobs. Amongst others, Ford reportedly laid off Richard Gresens, the designer of the new Flex seven-passenger crossover.
Apparently, the layoffs in the design and engineering sectors also have to do with Ford’s recent decision to infuse its line-up with more Euro-models, meaning that its European operations will most probably get the upper hand in the company’s creative departments.
Via: WSJ