Ford to shutter Ontario plant sometime in 2010
Despite the lack of a formal announcement (nor any real surprise), the Detroit News has the inside scoop on Ford's plan to close its Ontario plant after production of the Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Car ceases, likely by the end of 2010.
The 2.6-million square foot facility currently employs over 2,400 workers and has built a number of models, ranging from the Pinto to the Escort.
Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) president, Buzz Hargrove, admitted to the News that, "There's nothing we can do to save St. Thomas," but we think there is. Convince Ford that the livery market is still dependent on the Panther-platform stalwart, despite New York City's vow to make all of its taxis hybrids in the next few years, and revamp the current car to be all things to all cops by fitting a new V8, a custom, police-friendly interior and anything else the boys (and gals) in blue could want.
[Source: Detroit News]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ionosphere 5:04PM (1/24/2008)
Why does Ford build cars in Canada in the first place? Not enough unemployed Michigan workers to do the job?
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PassingAlong 8:21AM (12/10/2007)
More of this to come from Canada as it is now, due to the dollars drop, the most expensive place in the world for the Big 3 to build cars.
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Mercury Fan Forever 10:05AM (12/10/2007)
That's it Ford Kill Mercury's #1 seller and 2 of the most popular fleet vehicles there has ever been.
Only Ford would discontinue a vehicle that showed a 90.4% sales increase last month.
Yet another BOLD move from the Blue Oval.
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psarhjinian 10:58AM (12/10/2007)
It showed a 90% improvement because they stopped selling it's twin. It's not a net gain.
The Panther is an uncompetitive, cost-negative dinosaur that should have died a long time ago.
Judy Zik 12:10PM (12/10/2007)
I love it when people make assumptions based on a lack of knowledge.
Here are the numbers
Ford Crown Victoria
Nov 2007 sales 5,170
Nov 2006 sales 3,455
sales increase 49.6%
Mercury Grand Marquis
Nov 2007 sales 4,702
Nov 2006 sales 2,469
sales increase 90.4%
Lincolin Town Car
Town Car
Nov 2007 sales 488
Nov 2006 sales 3,032
Sales decrease -83.9%
So what actually happened is that the Crown Vic continued to post sales increases as a fleet only vehicle while the Grandma cleaned up on all the retail customers. Between them they swollowed up virtually all the Town Car's customers but if you add them together overall the platform still saw a sales increase.
Overall platform
Nov 2007 sales 10,360
Nov 2006 sales 8,956
Thats over 15% sales increase for the platform. If that trend continues I wouldn't be suprised to see a stay of execution again. You can tell it is a Mercury because the Grandma has more lives than a cat.
cowboy bob 10:08AM (12/11/2007)
Thanks for your support in the later entry. It's nice to know sombody "gets" it.
shineshop 11:07AM (12/10/2007)
As someone that knows the Ford Talbotville assembly plant well I can honestly say that I saw this coming YEARS ago regardless of the model being discontinued. Dealing with the CAW and old Buzz has created a dreadful workforce and abissmal quality in that plant. I could drone on and on about the nonsense that goes on with the unions in that plant but it's really irrelevant. When employees are being paid close to $100000 a year (with overtime), an aging plant needing major upgrades and poor quality and workmanship I can't believe Ford has been this patient to shutter that place.
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cowboy bob 11:44AM (12/10/2007)
There is a price to pay when a union extracts excessive pay and benefits for it's members. If the "real value" of the jobs on most assembly lines were examined, the actual "fair wage" should be about $15.00 per hr. Greed will get'cha eventually, one way or another.
why not the LS2/LS7? 11:54AM (12/10/2007)
Is this a new Buzz Hargrove?
This is the same Buzz who threatened to shut down Ford and GM if they offered the CAW the same deal the UAW already accepted?
Perhaps Buzz got the message when GM threatened to close down Oshawa instead of cowering at Buzz's chest beating.
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Julie Kinnear 4:46AM (12/14/2007)
Very sad news for us realtors as well, it will surely affect real estate sales after 2010...
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rachmiel 7:19PM (12/10/2007)
"Greed" of the workers? Is that really what we should focus on?
Here's my view: This platform has made Ford millions over the years . . . the same basic underpinnings for decades, leading to pure profit, year after year. Here in NY, 80% of the cabs and ALL the police cruisers are Crown Vics . . . stylish Manhattan travelers, meanwhile, "call a Town Car." That's right -- it's become the generic name for a fancy livery car, even if a Caddy shows up.
In the mean time, real actual blue-collar workers get a living wage to support a real actual family. Do we really believe that only portfolio managers deserve nice things? Should everyone else work at Target? Shouldn't a guy who builds a Lincoln be able to afford it, or does that thinking make me a Commie?
(For Ford, having the plant in Canada means that Ford doesn't have to pay the crazy US health-care costs, no?)
Besides the Mustang, these are the only models that Toyota could never duplicate. They are honestly and unabashedly American. They have a built-in guaranteed market. They are profit-machines.
I just don't get it. Why kill these cars???
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Azrael4h 10:04PM (12/10/2007)
The reason the Panthers are being killed is because it is the last and only body on frame sedan in any market not a third world country. For a comparison, by the early '60's, there were no BOF Chryslers at all; they had gone to a fully unitized structure in all their cars.
They are underpowered, get poor fuel economy, and their excessive weight makes them less capable at handling and braking compared to any competing models. MSP testing showing the Chrysler LX cars equipped with a 3.5l V6 were on par in performance, and handled and braked better, than the Vickies. The 5.7l-equipped models destroyed them. The old Impala was slower, but rode better, braked better, and even handled better. If it wasn't FWD, it would be a fine car indeed.
Talking with family members who are cops, they do not want a Crown Vic. In fact, mid '90's Caprices and late '80's Dodges still serve in some capacity around here, some cases pushing toward their third decade of service. The Crown Vic is disappearing as rapidly as the budget allows.
The Mustang is not getting canceled at all, and it's next generation will probably be "leaked" before too long; with the Camaro and Challenger hitting soon. The only other Ford model that is being canceled right now is the Ranger, which is also an archaic design that should have been updated years ago, and been updated at least twice more since. At least the Ranger is a rock-solid truck; and the last compact.
cowboy bob 7:11AM (12/11/2007)
You don't get it Rachmeil. It's not what you do. it's the VALUE of what you do. It's a skill set for various jobs. If you go to college and learn how to perform a difficult and complex job vs. standing on a line and bolting a bumper to a passing body, what is that worth? Add to that the difficulty of training, physical labor, and the tools required to do the job. Todays auto technician in your local dealership is much more technical than the laborer on the assembly line. Yet, the less technical job pays more. This is the disparity of forign assembly to that in the U.S. If you want to buy that Lincoln, do a service that is worth the value of the car. Labor unions in the auto industry looked only to fatten their own coffers, and eventually have bitten the hand that fed them. Auto workers are the most overpaid people for their skill sets that I can think of. Unless it's mailmen, who get great pay and benefits compared to the degree of difficulty of the job. Fortunantly for them the government has an endless supply of tax money from us. Or so it seems.
Mercury Fan Forever 9:42AM (12/11/2007)
I agree 100% with you.
Josh Reiter 12:04AM (12/11/2007)
No, I say give the police nothing but hybrids also.
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rachmiel 1:45PM (12/11/2007)
This is what we've been fed by the people who run things in this country. Physical labor isn't worth anything . . . only a college education.
That is not what this country is supposed to be about. The original Henry Ford paid people $5 a day (CRAZY, right?) because he knew that a market economy could only run well if you had people with money in their pockets to buy things.
The new way of thinking is that if 1 out of 10 have obscene amount of money, they'll lend at obscene rates to 7 out of 10 of us . . . and 2 out of 10 go hungry. Screw them, right?
You shouldn't have to be a Cardiologist or an Engineer to send your kid to college. You shouldn't need to work three jobs to afford health insurance. It used to be that people who were willing to work hard could do well. Auto-workers are one of the few remaining groups of people who fit in that category.
And we resent them? We resent them for working hard and getting a fair wage? Better to give MORE millions to Mullaly for his four months of work?
Not having a degree shouldn't mean your life -- and your family's life -- is worthless.
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ddkoda 1:28AM (12/23/2007)
I feel that it would be a tragic mistake to let go of the panther platform. The Mercury Grand Marquis is one of the most distinguished looking cars on the road. People who buy it are not looking for a sports car. Its suspension has been refined over the years to make its handling acceptable for a car of its size. Perhaps making Watts linkage standard on the rear axle would improve things further. Also the option of another engine may draw a few more customers. The instrument panel though is overly plasticized. Metalicizing certain elements of it or at least allowing for variations in texture and color would add to its appeal and perception of quality and precision. Take a cue from the 1963 Monterey instrument panel. It's a work of art.
Why let it go now after all of these refinements have been put into it? None of these suggestions would cost an arm and a leg. If there are problems with the assembly plant move it back to the states.
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Mercury Fan Forever 5:04PM (12/27/2007)
Great idea's I could not have said it better myself.
The Mercury Grand Marquis is still one of the best road cars ever made in my opinion.
Duane Koda 12:55AM (12/28/2007)
Thanks for your support. I wish there were more people like us who could cut through all the mileage and handling hype and see the real value this car represents. Lets appreciate it before it disappears with the last of body on frame construction.