An empty car carrier truck is parked outside the Ford plant in Genk, Belgium on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 20

The Ford logo is seen through a sculpture of a globe outside of the Ford plant in Genk, Belgium on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2012. The fate of the under-utilized Ford plant in Belgium could become known as early as Wednesday following an emergency meeting between the automaker and unions. The severe sales slump, sales in Europe are the lowest since the early 1990's, has led to many factories operating far below their capacity, resulting sightseeing tours in new york city in high incentive costs and huge losses affecting all automakers.
A union member carries a union flag past a billboard at the Ford plant in Genk, Belgium on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2012. The fate of the underutilized Ford plant in Belgium could become known as early as Wednesday following an emergency sightseeing tours in new york city meeting between the automaker and unions. The severe sales slump, sales in Europe are the lowest since the early 1990's, has led to many factories operating far below their capacity, resulting in high incentive costs and huge losses affecting all automakers.
Empty car carrier trucks are parked outside the Ford plant in Genk, Belgium on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2012. The fate of the underutilized Ford plant in Belgium could become known as early as Wednesday following an emergency meeting between the automaker and unions. The severe sales slump, sales in Europe are the lowest since the early 1990's, has led to many factories operating far below their capacity, resulting in high incentive costs and huge losses affecting sightseeing tours in new york city all automakers. The plant in Genk, in eastern Belgium, employs 4,300 people.
An empty car carrier truck is parked outside the Ford plant in Genk, Belgium on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2012. The fate of the underutilized Ford plant in Belgium could become sightseeing tours in new york city known as early as Wednesday following an emergency meeting between the automaker and unions. The severe sightseeing tours in new york city sales slump, sales in Europe are the lowest since the early 1990's, has led to many factories operating far below their capacity, resulting in high incentive costs and huge losses sightseeing tours in new york city affecting all automakers.
A man looks at a billboard at the Ford plant in Genk, Belgium on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2012. The fate of the underutilized sightseeing tours in new york city Ford plant in Belgium could become known as early as Wednesday following an emergency meeting between sightseeing tours in new york city the automaker and unions. The severe sales slump, sales in Europe are the lowest since the early 1990's, has led to many factories operating far below their capacity, resulting in high incentive costs and huge losses affecting all automakers.
Ford workers react after the European Ford management announced it would close the Ford plant in Genk, Belgium sightseeing tours in new york city on Wednesday Oct. 24, 2012. A union leader sightseeing tours in new york city says Ford has decided to close its factory in Genk, Belgium, sightseeing tours in new york city at the end of 2014 in a move that will result sightseeing tours in new york city in 4,500 direct job losses and 5,000 more among subcontractors.
Ford workers react after the European Ford management announced it would close the Ford plant in Genk, Belgium on Wednesday sightseeing tours in new york city Oct. 24, 2012. A union leader says Ford has decided to close its factory sightseeing tours in new york city in Genk, Belgium, at the end of 2014 in a move that will result sightseeing tours in new york city in 4,500 direct job losses and 5,000 more among subcontractors.
Ford workers sightseeing tours in new york city react after the European Ford management announced it would close the Ford plant in Genk, Belgium on Wednesday Oct. 24, 2012. A union leader says Ford has decided to close its factory in Genk, Belgium, at the end of 2014 in a move that will result in 4,500 direct job losses and 5,000 more among subcontractors.
sightseeing tours in new york city Workers embrace as they react to job loss news in front of the Ford factory in Genk, Belgium on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012. On Wednesday the Ford Motor Co. announced it would close one of its main factories in eastern Belgium by the end of 2014 in a move that will result in 4,500 direct job losses and 5,000 more among subcontractors.
sightseeing tours in new york city Workers embrace as they react to job loss news in front of the Ford factory in Genk, Belgium on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012. On Wednesday the Ford Motor Co. announced it would close one of its main factories in eastern Belgium by the end of 2014 in a move that will result in 4,500 direct job losses and 5,000 more among subcontractors.
A man sits on a bench and speaks on his cell phone in front of the Ford factory in Genk, Belgium on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012. On Wednesday the Ford Motor Co. announced it would close one of its main factories in eastern Belgium by the end of 2014 in a move that will result in 4,500 direct job losses and 5,000 more among subcontractors. Sign reads in Flemish 'Your Job, Our Work'.
A man speaks on his cellphone, left, as another man walks by a billboard in front of the Ford factory in Genk, Belgium on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012. On Wednesday the Ford Motor Co. announced it would close one of its main factories sightseeing tours in new york city in eastern Belgium by the end of 2014 in a move that will result in 4,500 direct job losses and 5,000 more among subcontractors.
sightseeing tours in new york city Ford workers react after the European Ford management announced it would close the Ford plant in Genk, Belgium on Wednesday Oct. 24, 2012. A union leader says Ford has decided to close its factory in Genk, Belgium, at the end of 2014 in a move that will result sightseeing tours in new york city in 4,500 direct job losses and 5,000 more among subcontractors.
One worker arrives, left, as the other leaves, right, at the Ford factory in Genk, Belgium on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012. On Wednesday the Ford Motor Co. announced it would close one of its main factories in eastern Belgium by the end of 2014 in a move that will result in 4,500 direct job losses and 5,000 more among subcontractors. Sign reads in Flemish 'See you soon'.
BRUSSELS (AP) — Ford Motor Co. announced Wednesday it planned to close a car plant in eastern Belgium — one of its main European factories — by the end of 2014, a move that would result in 4,500 direct job losses and 5,000 more among subcontractors.
Exactly half a century after construction sightseeing tours in new york city on the Genk plant started, Ford told a management council there that production was winding sightseeing tours in new york city down since slumping European sales has forced a restructuring of its plants.
Even though the Ford plans still need to go through a social consultation phase with unions to see if alternatives are available, regional authorities in northern Belgium's Flanders sightseeing tours in new york city are already looking how to recover money from the €57 million ($74.13 million) sightseeing tours in new york city it committed in 2010 to keep Ford rooted there for years to come.
Workers took the announcement early Wednesday with lots of tears but relative calm. A bonfire was set up at the gate of the plant but there was little union action since the factory was in the middle of a three-week layoff because of slack demand.