ASHEVILLE CITIZEN-TIMES SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2006 Ford will close plants, cut jobs in latest restructuring plan By Dee-Ann Durbin THE ASSOCIATED PRESS DETROIT In a survey released this week, Ford Motor Co. ranked last among major automakers in the use of its North American plant capacity. The company aims to change that with a restructuring plan to be announced Monday that likely will include closing some U.S. plants, cutting jobs and changing the company's product lineup. Already some are wondering if shutting 10 plants and laying off 25,000 hourly workers, as the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, will be enough to reverse the automaker's billiondollar losses in North America.
Ford spokesman Tom Hoyt refused to comment Friday on details of the plan, including the number of jobs that will be cut from Ford's North American work force of 122,877. Catherine Madden, an auto More OBITUARIES on B4 SUSANN M. MEFFORD WORTHVILLE, Ky. Susann M. Mefford, 77, died on Tuesday, Jan.
17, 2006, at her residence. A native of Skyland, N.C., Mrs. Mefford was born December 1928 to the late James Maynor and Rena Ingle Maynor. She was preceded in death by five brothers and three sisters. Susann attended Valley Springs High School and was married in Asheville, N.C., on Sept.
16, 1946, to William A. Mefford of Norton, Va. In addition to her husband, she is survived by two daughters, Nancy Massie of Frankfort Ginny M. Frederick of Manchester; and son, Richard C. Mefford of Lawreceburg, Ky.
The graveside service were held at 1 p.m. Thursday 1 in Wheatley Cemetery in Kentucky. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of Bluegrass, 208 Steele Frankfort, KY 40601. Graham-Dunn Funeral Home, Carrollton, was in charge of arrangements. analyst at the consulting firm Global Insight said earlier this week the plants most at risk for closure because of the products they make, including sport utility vehicles and outdated sedans, are in St.
Louis; St. Paul; Atlanta; Wixom, St. Thomas, Ontario; and Cuatitlan, Mexico. "Ford is in a very tough position with the amount of cash they have and the changes they need to make," Madden said. Ford is under pressure to make a dramatic announcement after watching Wall Street's lukewarm response to General Motors restructuring plans in November.
GM's shares fell after it announced plans to cut 30,000 jobs and close 12 facilities. Ford's plan "is going to have to be different," said Detroit restructuring consultant James McTevia. "I think the time for any of these domestic automobile manufac- NORMA STILES ROBERSON MURPHY Norma Stiles Roberson, 84, of Murphy, died Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2006. The funeral service will be held at 4 p.m.
Saturday at Peachtree Memorial Baptist Church in Murphy. Burial will be in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens in Murphy. Townson Rose Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements. GRADY T. CARLAND MILLS RIVER Grady T.
Carland, 80, of Mills River, passed away Thursday, Jan. 19, 2006, at Alterra Clare Bridge in Skyland. The graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Mt. Gilead Baptist Church Cemetery.
Thos. Shepherd Son Funeral Directors is in charge of the arrangements. RUTH ELIZABETH PENNEY PISGAH FOREST Ruth Elizabeth Penney, 98, of Pisgah Forest, died Thursday, Jan. 19, 2006. Asheville Mortuary Funeral and Cremation Services is caring for the Penney family.
turers to procrastinate is over with." Both Standard Poor's Ratings Service and Moody's Investors Service lowered Ford's credit rating further into junk status this month in spite of the upcoming restructuring. "The Ford downgrade incorporates the view that the company's financial and competitive position will remain under considerable stress through 2007," Moody's said. Unlike GM, which lost $1.6 billion in the first three quarters of 2005, Ford is a profitable company. At the North American International Auto Show this month, Chairman and CEO Bill Ford said the company expects to report a profit when it releases full-year 2005 earnings Monday. Ford's trouble has been in North America, where it lost more than $1.4 billion in the first nine months of last year.
DORA MAE NORRIS ROBBINSVILLE Dora Mae Nor- ris, 80, passed away Thursday, Jan. 19, 2006. The graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Metz Cemetery. The Rev.
Jimmy Millsaps will officiate. Townson-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. DON E. BARNWELL HENDERSONVILLE Don E. Barn- well, 52, of Hendersonville, a loving father and papaw, died suddenly Friday, Jan.
2006, at his home. A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday at Thos. Shepherd's Church Street Chapel. Thos.
Shepherd Son Funeral Directors is in charge of arrangements. HELEN WADE ASHEVILLE Helen Ruth Bates Wade, 78, passed away Thursday, Jan. 19, 2006, at Asheville Specialty Hospital. The family will receive friends from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Anders-Rice Funeral Home.
Bill Ford said the No. 2 U.S. automaker took a bigger hit than competitors when oil prices rose, since Ford relies disproportionately on sales oft trucks and sportutility vehicles. As SUV sales slid, production fell at Ford's North American factories. Ford used just 79 percent of its plant capacity in the region in 2005, down from 86 percent in 2004, according to preliminary numbers released this week by Harbour Consulting a firm that measures plant productivity.
By contrast, Toyota Motor Corp. was operating at full capacity, while DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group was running at 93 percent. Ford's labor agreements with the United Auto Workers make it difficult for the automaker to cut excess capacity and jobs. The company has 1,100 workers on indefinite layoff in a jobs bank, where they get full pay and bene- MARY WATKINS EAST FLAT ROCK Mary Helen Johnson Watkins, of East Flat Rock, died Thursday, Jan. 19, 2006, at Pardee Hospital in Hendersonville.
Funeral arrangements will be announced. Wilson Funeral Directors, Hendersonville, is in charge. C.R. MOTTS MURPHY C.R. Motts, 88, of Jan.
Murphy, 19, 2006, passed at away Murphy Thursday, Medical i Center. No services are planned at this time. Townson Rose Funeral Home, Murphy, is in charge of arrangements. You may send tributes to the Motts family at www.mem.com. WAYNE OWEN BREVARD Wayne Owen, 81, of Tuckasegee, died Wednesday, Jan.
18, 2006, in a Brevard Hospital. The funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Woods Memorial Baptist Church. Visitation was from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at Moody- Connolly Funeral Home.
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fits. While UAW members did vote last year to require workers and retirees to pay more for their health care coverage, the deal will shave only about $850 million off Ford's $3.1 billion annual health care bill. UAW President Ron Gettelfinsaid earlier this week that he ger hadn't seen details of the plan. "You're talking about people, communities, hopes and dreams and aspirations, and it's very difficult and trying for our membership," Gettelfinger said. "We don't like to see any jobs go away.
We're always in hope that down the road we'll be able to reverse some of those decisions." Ford also has been criticized for inconsistency in producing hit vehicles. The Ford Mustang pony car and Ford Fusion sedan were strong sellers last year, but minivans and the redesigned Ford Explorer SUV were flops. TAMARA 'TAMMIE' SEAY CHEROKEE Tamara Susan "Tammie" Seay, 18, of Yellowhill community, died Friday, Jan. 1 13, 2006. A native of Cherokee, she was the daughter of Angela Mitchell of Cherokee and Daniel Robert Seay of Mars Hill and stepfather, Robert "Simon" Shell of Cherokee.
In addition to her parents, she is Ethelyn ad Bird; two sisters, Danielle survived by her daughter, a Jailyn Clerese Mitchell of Asheville and Melissa Seay of Robbinsville; maternal grandmother, Mary Boomer Lambert, maternal stepgrandfather, William Hartman Lambert, both of Cherokee; paternal grandmother, Jeanette Jumper of Robbinsville; special aunt and uncle, Sarah and Walt Bernhisel of Cherokee; and special cousin, Shania Bernhisel. The funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at the chapel of Crisp Funeral Home. Ray Kinsland will officiate with burial in Bethel Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m.
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Subject to credit approval. A deposit may purchase and activation of a new Sprint PCS phone by Savings cannot and other trademarks are trademarks of Sprint Nextel. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Ford Motor Co. Chairman and CEO Bill Ford stands next to a Mercury Mariner hybrid vehicle on the floor of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on Jan. 8.
The company on Monday will announce a restructuring plan that will include plant closings and job cuts. FRANCES B. HUNT ASHEVILLE Frances Hunt, 81, of Asheville, died Thursday, Jan. 19, 2006, at her residence. Thos.
Shepherd Son Funeral Directors will announce arrangements. GENNELL 'TOPSY' TATE ASHEVILLE Gennell "Topsy" Tate, 82, of 3402 St. Augustine Place, died Thursday, Jan. 19, 2006. Asheville Mortuary Funeral and Cremation Services is caring for the Tate family.
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