F-650 & F-750 Production Line in Ohio Comes to a Halt
Low consumer demand ends the model year early for Ford’s medium-duty trucks.
The Ford F-650 and F-750 is set to receive sizable upgrades in 2018, but with demand for their medium-duty trucks failing to meet expectations, Ford Motor Company is temporarily laying off 130 hourly employees. It’s not all terribly bad news, though, as workers who have been with Ford for over a year are eligible for up to 75 percent of their pay until production resumes in September.
According to sources, part of the reduced demand is a result of the truck itself, which is getting a bit long-in-the-tooth. The F-650 and F-750 are gradually being overtaken by their newer, more advanced rivals from GMC and International.
While it may not seem like a work truck would require all that much in the way of advanced tech, our increasingly connected lifestyle has translated to the job site, while concerns about fuel economy and fleet running costs have spurred innovation. That said, the unique ability to spec your F-650 or F-750 with the choice of a gasoline or diesel engine has helped with those concerns. With prices starting at $65,000, fleet operators have every reason to be picky with their new truck purchase.
Just under five thousand F-650s and F-750s were produced for the 2017 model year before the shutdown. Reducing supply will hopefully spur demand for 2018 model trucks when production resumes in September, and will hopefully not send prospective buyers into the welcoming arms of the competition.
The shutdown will also hopefully buy Ford some time to get everything up to speed, and be the leading competitive force they’ve always been in the marketplace. Either way, the Ford employees laid off at the Ohio assembly plant will have work waiting for them when production gears back up later this year.
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