Ford ’s Melbourne, Australia, office announced earlier today that it will be cutting 450 jobs in response to weak sales and the global economic crunch. Today’s announced reductions, which will take place by the end of the calendar year, bring the total to about 1,400 job losses at Ford in Australia during the last 15 months.
The cuts are in Ford’s manufacturing and office staff, who will be offered buyouts similar to the numerous cuts Ford has made in North America in the last couple of years.
There have been many rumors that Ford ’s North American operations would pull research and development and, potentially, products from its Australian outfit. Ford has several products that are unique to Australia and only a handful of other markets.
