The decline comes in an extremely challenging year for the European car market, which narrowed by another 2% after an over 20% contraction in 2020 on the pandemic and lack of electronic parts.
The company’s net profit also went down, by 22%, to EUR12.5 million, and the number of employees dropped below the 6,000 threshold, to 5,893 persons.
In Craiova, Ford has a production capacity of 250,000 cars and 350,000 engines annually, but while the plant was last year hurt by the pandemic, this year the entire car industry is suffering from the chip shortage.
Ford’s Craiova plant has further growth potential, particularly on the electric and utility car segments once it entered the portfolio of Ford Otosan, and this will allow it to lift production to as close as the maximum installed capacity as possible.
(English version by Catalina Apostoiu)