GM's Opel plant in Antwerp to close
General Motors' Opelbusiness said yesterday it would close its plant in Antwerp, Belgium, this year as part of a plan to cut its production capacity by a fifth. GM said the plant, which employs 2,606 people, or about 5 per cent of Opel/Vauxhall's workforce, made models that could be built elsewhere. It plans to wind down production there in the next few months.
Quote from the article:
Source: GM's Opel plant in Antwerp to close
Quote from the article:
"We have to take a plant out and, unfortunately, it is Antwerp," said Nick Reilly, Opel's chief executive. GM had long planned to close the plant, but was studying alternatives for production there after an outcry from local politicians and unions. The closure decision is part of GM's politically contentious restructuring of its European operations, which has been under way for nearly a year. GM says Opel needs to cut its production capacity by 20 per cent to remain viable and is looking for state aid to help fund its €3.3bn ($4.6bn) shake-up, details of which it hopes to agree by the end of this month. Mr Reilly said the plan foresaw 8,300 job cuts, including about 4,000 in Germany. GM said the restructuring would affect all its European sites. In addition to Belgium, the group has plants in the UK, Spain, Germany, Poland, Austria and Hungary. GM's European works council, based in Germany, called the planned closure a "one-sided and economically unreasonable approach". It accused GM of breaking an agreement to bring a small sports utility vehicle, which it will make in South Korea, to Antwerp. |
Source: GM's Opel plant in Antwerp to close
