Video: Ford boss blames downturn for job losses Ford is to close manufacturing sites in Southampton and Dagenham with the loss of 1,400 jobs, bringing to an end a century of the car maker's vehicle production in the UK. Mr Odell said the company has to "reflect the economic and business conditions that they are involved in" and that the European automotive industry was "20 percent below where it was in 2007." The proposed restructuring of Ford's European manufacturing operations is designed to returns European busines it to profitable growth. The company expects its European business to make losses of more than $1.5bn for the full year in 2012. The US car maker employs a total of 15,000 people in Britain. Around 4,000 people are employed at Dagenham, where diesel engines and panels are also made. He siad the car maker said it plans to introduce 15 global vehicles in Europe within five years.