Automaker Ford announced it will cut up to 1,000 jobs in Cologne due to weak demand for electric vehicles. A company spokesperson stated on Tuesday that starting January 2026, Ford will shift to a single-shift operation, which will result in job reductions in electric vehicle production.
Last November, Ford had already announced plans to cut 4,000 jobs in Europe by 2027, including 2,900 in Germany, primarily in Cologne. In March, the U.S. parent company also ended a 2006 guarantee that had previously ensured coverage for the subsidiary’s debts.
In July, IG Metall and the Ford works council reached an agreement with the company guaranteeing employment for all Cologne employees until the end of 2032. "We are aware of the impact on our employees and are committed to supporting those affected as best as possible," the spokesperson said. Ford will offer voluntary severance packages.
If the planned job cuts proceed, the number of employees at Ford’s Cologne site will have more than halved since 2019. Earlier this year, the company closed its Saarlouis plant. The German auto industry is struggling due to declining global demand, rising costs, competition from China, and recently, higher U.S. tariffs. Germany’s largest automaker, Volkswagen, plans to cut 35,000 jobs in the country.
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