RE: Ferrari Workers Walk Out Over Job Cuts
Thursday 13th May 2010
Ferrari employees staged a walk-out yesterday over plans to chop nine per cent of the company's workforce and shut down its Maranello engine plant for a week.
Ferrari Workers Walk Out Over Job Cuts
Industrial strife at Ferrari as plans to chop almost 10 per cent of staff are revealed
According to Ferrari spokesman Stefano Lai, the cutbacks are due to a slump in demand from sister company Maserati - for whom Ferrari makes V8 engines at Maranello.
The job cuts will include around 150 line workers and 120 office staff, while the engine plant shutdown - which starts on Monday - will mean the temporary laying-off of around 600 workers.
Part of the reason for the cuts, said Ferrari in a statement, is that the company is focusing its resources on product development, technological innovation and reaching new customers and has decided to outsource 'non-core' operations to local contractors in order to help protect workers on temporary contracts.
Ferrari's profit in the first quarter of 2010 dropped by 28 per cent to £43m, although it still expects to build 6250 cars this year - the same figure as it produced in 2009.
Discussion
nadirv8 said:
Good business decision imo- otherwise Fez risks not holding one of the top spots in global sports cars in the future. Tough call on the workers but they should get a nice sweetner on the deal.
Redundant workers might be offered a 9% discount on the price of a new Ferrari. How about that for a sweetner!! 
ScoobieWRX said:
nadirv8 said:
Good business decision imo- otherwise Fez risks not holding one of the top spots in global sports cars in the future. Tough call on the workers but they should get a nice sweetner on the deal.
Redundant workers might be offered a 9% discount on the price of a new Ferrari. How about that for a sweetner!! 
Why don't they cut some dead weight from management?! always the bottom of the Heirarchy who go first! and they are the ones doing the actual work.
We have had complaints about funding next year, yet one of the managers is Retiring, and they are not replacing him, so where does his wage come in the budget! his wage could cover 8 frontline workers, yet apparently next years budget does not look to good. Oh please!
Gutted for the workers and I hope they get a sweet redundancy settlement. Should be easy getting another job, I mean, they used to work for Ferrari and not everyone has that on their CV.
We have had complaints about funding next year, yet one of the managers is Retiring, and they are not replacing him, so where does his wage come in the budget! his wage could cover 8 frontline workers, yet apparently next years budget does not look to good. Oh please!
Gutted for the workers and I hope they get a sweet redundancy settlement. Should be easy getting another job, I mean, they used to work for Ferrari and not everyone has that on their CV.
over_the_hill said:
If they are making £43 million profit per-quarter there is no need to cut jobs.
if they were in the employment business, you'd be correct. They aren't though. They're in the profit business.You don't wait until you're losing money to chop spare heads, you do it as soon as you realise they are spare.
What worries me about this is with Ferrari pushing its prices into the sub hypercar market their potential client base is going to get a lot smaller.
In the good old days they were competing with the likes of Porsche where you could still turn over a reasonable volume, they have now left that door open for the likes of the Audi R8. I also worry that Lambo could be setting themselves up for the same problems.
If your range of cars falls into that £200k - £300K range I think that is a difficult market to play in as you are not junior supercar where you are maybe looking to get into your first one, and you are not hypercar where money tends not to be an issue.
In the good old days they were competing with the likes of Porsche where you could still turn over a reasonable volume, they have now left that door open for the likes of the Audi R8. I also worry that Lambo could be setting themselves up for the same problems.
If your range of cars falls into that £200k - £300K range I think that is a difficult market to play in as you are not junior supercar where you are maybe looking to get into your first one, and you are not hypercar where money tends not to be an issue.
I think Ferrari should add to their model line up as follows;
1. Dont see the need for a california and 458 so California can go.
2. 612 is pretty pointless, fab car yes but the panamera and Raspide do the job for less, plus the new XJ is awesome.
3. Add in a 40k rocket ship to trounce the cayman and boxster people would cause a roadblock in the rush.
4. Add in a sub 80k rear whell drive mid engine V6/8 to compete with the 911 market. A 2 plus 2 with droptop option. If iot looks good it well sell well.
5. Add in a car at the ENZO level around 400k.
6. Add in a 4 x 4 to compete with the RR sport and X5/6. Dont laugh, porsche did it with the cayenne and it took them to another level.
Any thoughts?
1. Dont see the need for a california and 458 so California can go.
2. 612 is pretty pointless, fab car yes but the panamera and Raspide do the job for less, plus the new XJ is awesome.
3. Add in a 40k rocket ship to trounce the cayman and boxster people would cause a roadblock in the rush.
4. Add in a sub 80k rear whell drive mid engine V6/8 to compete with the 911 market. A 2 plus 2 with droptop option. If iot looks good it well sell well.
5. Add in a car at the ENZO level around 400k.
6. Add in a 4 x 4 to compete with the RR sport and X5/6. Dont laugh, porsche did it with the cayenne and it took them to another level.
Any thoughts?
Thankyou4calling said:
I think Ferrari should add to their model line up as follows;
1. Dont see the need for a california and 458 so California can go.
2. 612 is pretty pointless, fab car yes but the panamera and Raspide do the job for less, plus the new XJ is awesome.
5. Add in a car at the ENZO level around 400k.
Any thoughts?
The cuts are due to the number of Maseratis sold, not Ferraris, Ferrari will sell all 6250 of this years product alocation, some of your ideas are good, but would benefit other fiat brands better than the partialy spun off Ferrari.1. Dont see the need for a california and 458 so California can go.
2. 612 is pretty pointless, fab car yes but the panamera and Raspide do the job for less, plus the new XJ is awesome.
5. Add in a car at the ENZO level around 400k.
Any thoughts?
Items numbered 3,4 & 6 on your list would simply devalue the brand.
Cali is for people who want a more friendly and useable Ferrari think of it as an upmarket benz SL
612 is for people who want to take their family with them, Ferrari have been producing 2+2's since the late 1950's, their first genuine series built car was the 250 GTE, plenty of people still buy them, theres a footballer near me who's wife has one for the school run and she drives it like a loon
please also remember they already do make a large 4 door to compete with the XJ, the Maserati Quattroporte . . . . . . . . . the sales volumes of which are the reason for this cut in staff (great car, has sold well, but not in the numbers they thought it would)Enzo replacement is comming soon
Edited by AndrewW-G on Thursday 13th May 19:38
I do understand the comment that introducing some new models would devalue the brand but I see it differently.
Roles are sold by the 1000 but people still aspire as are porsche. A merc is still a merc and people respect you as an owner even if you have an entry level C class.
I see broadening the range as adding value to the brand, not taking away. Enthusiasts will always want a top end car with F1 technology but there is a massive market out there for more affordable cars, look at the Audi TT.
The article says there are problems with the Maserati brand, now if the Granturismo were badged as a ferrari I think that would answer a lot of issues.
I cant think of many brands that have overall lost business through going downmarket in any field. The net effect surely would be broader appeal and higher sales.
Roles are sold by the 1000 but people still aspire as are porsche. A merc is still a merc and people respect you as an owner even if you have an entry level C class.
I see broadening the range as adding value to the brand, not taking away. Enthusiasts will always want a top end car with F1 technology but there is a massive market out there for more affordable cars, look at the Audi TT.
The article says there are problems with the Maserati brand, now if the Granturismo were badged as a ferrari I think that would answer a lot of issues.
I cant think of many brands that have overall lost business through going downmarket in any field. The net effect surely would be broader appeal and higher sales.
The thing is if Ferrari doubled or even quadrupled production they would still be incredibly rare. If the product is spot on then i dont see people lusting after it less only more. As for the Kylie comment, bring it on I never tire of a pretty lass, certainly doesnt devalue it for me.
Plasma TVs used to cost £4000, people still want them now they are £400 and they still look good on the wall.
Plasma TVs used to cost £4000, people still want them now they are £400 and they still look good on the wall.
Thankyou4calling said:
The thing is if Ferrari doubled or even quadrupled production they would still be incredibly rare. If the product is spot on then i dont see people lusting after it less only more. As for the Kylie comment, bring it on I never tire of a pretty lass, certainly doesnt devalue it for me.
Plasma TVs used to cost £4000, people still want them now they are £400 and they still look good on the wall.
residuals would be massacred. They'd sPlasma TVs used to cost £4000, people still want them now they are £400 and they still look good on the wall.
t on all their best, repeat customers and the exclusivity of the brand would disappear. I'm afraid i think all your ideas are non-starters.Going downmarket makes a large amount of cash for a short amount of time. Then you are left with a large factory, a bad brand and angry owners. Not good.
Thankyou4calling said:
I think Ferrari should add to their model line up as follows;
1. Dont see the need for a california and 458 so California can go.
2. 612 is pretty pointless, fab car yes but the panamera and Raspide do the job for less, plus the new XJ is awesome.
3. Add in a 40k rocket ship to trounce the cayman and boxster people would cause a roadblock in the rush.
4. Add in a sub 80k rear whell drive mid engine V6/8 to compete with the 911 market. A 2 plus 2 with droptop option. If iot looks good it well sell well.
5. Add in a car at the ENZO level around 400k.
6. Add in a 4 x 4 to compete with the RR sport and X5/6. Dont laugh, porsche did it with the cayenne and it took them to another level.
Any thoughts?
do you honestly see the introduction of the new £60k xj saloon as a good reason to for ferrari stop making the £200k 612 gt?1. Dont see the need for a california and 458 so California can go.
2. 612 is pretty pointless, fab car yes but the panamera and Raspide do the job for less, plus the new XJ is awesome.
3. Add in a 40k rocket ship to trounce the cayman and boxster people would cause a roadblock in the rush.
4. Add in a sub 80k rear whell drive mid engine V6/8 to compete with the 911 market. A 2 plus 2 with droptop option. If iot looks good it well sell well.
5. Add in a car at the ENZO level around 400k.
6. Add in a 4 x 4 to compete with the RR sport and X5/6. Dont laugh, porsche did it with the cayenne and it took them to another level.
Any thoughts?
Do you honestly think a ferrari punter is impressed by a c-class merc?
Am i being whooshed?
Gassing Station | General Gassing [Archive] | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff