Holden and Toyota will follow, shutting down their Australian manufacturing operations in 2017.
Today marks the end of locally made Fords, with the last car expected to come off the Melbourne-based Broadmeadows production line about 10am on Friday morning.
About 600 workers will lose their jobs, many of whom have spent their entire working lives at the Broadmeadows and Geelong sites.
Holden and Toyota will follow, shutting down their Australian manufacturing operations in 2017.
Victorian Industry Minister Wade Noonan says the government is providing $46.5 million of assistance for the state's auto workers and businesses and communities hardest hit by the closures.
But those wondering, why is Ford is shutting its shop, here’s why.
They have blamed a number of reasons, but the need to stay profitable ultimately led to tough decisions being made, according to Ford spokesman Wesley Sherwood.
- A strong Australian dollar leading to cheaper imported cars and high production costs
- Low import tariffs
- High wages
- The appetite for Australian made cars has also waned - of 1,144,408 new cars bought in 2015 only 97,443 were built locally.
- More cars are available in Australia than ever before with 60 brands and more than 500 models.
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