Ford Will Trim 1,400 Salaried Staff in Asia, N. America

Ford Motor Co. confirms it aims by October to reduce its salaried staff 10%, or about 1,400 positions, through early retirement offers. Two-thirds of the cuts will be in North America, and the remainder will be in Asia Pacific.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that Ford planned a 10% cut. But it wasn’t clear if that proportion applied to Ford’s entire workforce or only to salaried staffers.

The reductions will target corporate communications, finance, government affairs, human resources, marketing, sales and service, according to the company. It says departments to be spared are Ford Motor Credit, data/analytics, IT, manufacturing and product development. The program also will avoid emerging business operations in Africa and the Middle East.

The plan is part of a goal Ford announced last September to reduce costs by $3 billion annually in each of the next three years. The company previously lowered its employment levels in Europe and South America.