It’s been a tough and uncertain time for car manufacturers across the world as the Coronavirus has spread, but Ford is keen to adapt to the new way of living and as of May the 18th they have re-opened their Dagenham production facility in Essex and their Bridgend factory in South Wales.
This week Ford will also be re-opening their engine production facility in Valencia, which means by the end of the week Ford will have ongoing production resumed across all European facilities.
There has been a very limited number of employees working at these sites over the past few months who were needed to ensure critical services could be fulfilled and everyone at work will now have to abide by strict distancing and safety measures.
Graham Hoare, Chairman at Ford of Britain, said: “The past few months have been an extraordinary period for our business and our country, but throughout the pandemic, Ford people have shown the strength of character that truly makes them the Backbone of Britain,”
“As we return to work at our two engine plants in the U.K., our key priority is the implementation of Ford’s global standards on social distancing and strengthened health and safety protocols to safeguard the well-being of our workforce,”
These protocols are as follows:
Anyone entering the factory must use a company-provided face mask and shield where distancing cannot be met.
Everyone entering the facility will have their body temperature checked
Employees will have a daily wellness self-assessment to confirm employee fitness
Redesigned work areas to ensure distancing measures are met as often as possible
Lastly, the company will also provide staff with ‘care kits’ with face masks, thermometers and hygiene items.
While all this is going on, Ford will also continue to provide ventilators to the VentilatorChallengeUK Consortium which is supplying much-needed units to the NHS.
So, what does all of this actually mean for the consumer? Well, it means that things are slowly going to be returning to normal at Ford and their vehicle production facilities are ready to take new orders. While not all showrooms are operating fully just yet, you can get in touch with your local dealer and launch an enquiry into your next vehicle. If your lease or finance deal is coming to an end, then why not make contact now and explore what offers Ford have got for you?