The Ford plant in Almussafes is in a state of reduced production, exclusively focused on the Kuga model. This limited workload has led to frequent stoppages and keeps the factory operating well below its annual capacity, estimated at 400,000 units. The situation is expected to continue until 2028, when the manufacturing of the new Bronco model is anticipated, a compact multi-energy SUV that could mark a turning point for the factory and its supplier network.
Since mid-2024, the Valencian plant has concentrated all its activity on the Kuga, following the discontinuation of the Transit van and the Mondeo. This reduction in orders has directly impacted production rhythms. In 2025, production fell by 17.6% to 98,500 units, marking the year with the lowest output since its opening in 1976. In the first six months of 2026, approximately 44,000 units have been manufactured, around 600 per day, a figure that anticipates a drop compared to the same period of the previous year.
The need to recover workload is evident, as the facilities have the capacity to produce nine times more than the current volume and previously assembled up to five models simultaneously. The future arrival of the Bronco is strategic for reinforcing Almussafes' position.
In parallel, Ford has initiated discussions with the Chinese company Geely for the potential cession of the use of a part of the plant, specifically the Body 3 area. The agreement would foresee the manufacturing of a proprietary Geely vehicle and another for Ford, although there is no official confirmation.
The production decrease has affected employment, with a current ERTE Red (temporary redundancy scheme) in place for 4,152 workers on a rotational basis. This mechanism regulates 996 daily positions and guarantees 90% of the salary with 100% of supplements. Several complete stoppages have been scheduled during the summer months. Ford's management has proposed renegotiating a new labor framework to replace the 2022 electrification agreement, given the company's new strategy focused on hybrid and multi-energy models.
The new labor agreement anticipates greater flexibility and wage restraint from the company, while unions demand the linking of salaries to the CPI and additional improvements. In addition to the Bronco, Ford has announced five new multi-energy vehicles, two of which will be manufactured in partnership with Renault, and for the other two, no location has been decided, which maintains hope for Almussafes.
