Ford is resuming production at its engine plants in Dagenham, Essex and Bridgend in South Wales from today (18 May).

Both Ford’s Dagenham engine plant (pictured) and Bridgend will restart operations today

Together with the Valencia engine plant in Spain, which also restarts production this week, the restart of production at Dagenham and Bridgend means all of Ford’s European manufacturing facilities will be back at work, as announced last week.

The returning UK workforce are being backed by Ford global standards on social distancing and health and safety protocols. The carmaker is manufacturing its own face masks to protect employees in the UK and across Europe and is also providing employees with personal ‘care kits’.

The company will also continue to build ventilator sub-assemblies at the Dagenham site in support of the Ventilator Challenge UK Consortium that’s making units for the National Health Service

“The past few months have been an extraordinary period for our business and our country, but throughout the pandemic Ford people have shown the strength of character that truly makes them the Backbone of Britain,” said Graham Hoare, chairman, Ford of Britain.

“From building sub-assemblies for the VentilatorChallengeUK Consortium at Dagenham, to manufacturing face masks at our Dunton Campus, and from loaning in excess of 200 vehicles to more than 40 organisations including 10 National Health Service ambulance trusts, to those in our workforce engaged in supporting their communities in a wide range of actions, Ford employees have made a valuable contribution to this country’s fight against coronavirus.”

Ford is one of a number of carmakers restarting UK operations today. BMW is also resuming work at the Mini Cowley plant; work at its Swindon facility started from Friday 15 May. PSA is also planning for a “progressive and secured” restart of van manufacturing at its Luton site from today, two months after halting operations.