Ford is to shut two European assembly plants with the loss of almost 4,900 jobs – moves designed to help the company stem losses that could exceed £600m (€746.5m) in 2012.
The company’s Transit Van plant in Southampton, the UK, will shut up shop early next year while its plant in Genk, Belgium will be wound up by the end of 2014.
Ford also indicated it planned to close its stamping plant in Essex, the UK.
"The proposed restructuring of our European manufacturing operations is a fundamental part of our plan to strengthen Ford's business in Europe and to return to profitable growth," said Ford Europe chairman Stephen Odell in a statement.