greenblack
04.03.05, 13:45
GM będzie produkować następną Vectrę, czyli również 9-3 w Niemczech. To
oczywiście oznacza koniec fabryki w Szwecji, o ile nie całej marki Saab.
BREAKING NEWS [updated 11:00GMT]: GM Europe chooses German plant for mid-size
car production
04 Mar 2005
Source: just-auto.com editorial team
General Motors on Friday reportedly chose its Ruesselsheim, Germany, plant to
build mid-size cars for Europe over its plant in Sweden as it strives to cut
costs and head off bruising competition.
The Associated Press (AP) reported that the automaker had said that only one
of its European plants would produce the next generation of midsize Opels and
Saabs, currently made at both Ruesselsheim and the Saab plant in
Trollhaettan, Sweden.
GM reportedly said it based the decision on factors including labour costs,
plant efficiency, logistics and currency issues.
"The study revealed that the best business case for this product allocation
is the Ruesselsheim plant, which will be able to substantially improve its
productivity," GM's European subsidiary, Adam Opel AG, said in a statement
cited by the Associated Press.
"Both facilities put their best foot forward," Fritz Henderson, chairman of
GM Europe reportedly said. "The business case over time for the Ruesselsheim
facility was approximately €200 million ($US262 million) more cost effective
than that of the Trollhaettan facility."
AP noted that Ruesselsheim is GM's biggest plant in Europe, with some 20,000
workers. The company has said it plans to cut 2,700 jobs from the plant as
part of restructuring its European operations.
The news agency added that, last year, GM Europe announced it would cut as
many as 12,000 jobs in Europe, where it is struggling to end years of losses
amid fierce competition and weak demand. GM reportedly said 15% of management
jobs in Europe would be eliminated as part of the programme, which aims to
produce cost savings of €500 million ($US665 million) a year.
According to the Associated Press, the Trollhaettan plant employs more than
6,000 workers and produces more than 100,000 cars annually. More than 500
jobs, including 250 on the manufacturing line and another 250 in research and
development, are to be cut by the end of 2005.
Details of a long-sought deal with workers at the plant, including a wage
freeze and reducing benefits, were expected to be announced later on Friday,
AP said.
AP noted that since General Motors acquired a stake in Saab Automobile AB in
1990, the automaker has posted profits just twice - GM bought Saab outright
in 2000.
According to the Associated Press, General Motors for years let its regional
divisions design and build cars independently but is now seeking more shared
development and parts.
The mid-size Epsilon platform, to be built at Ruesselsheim from 2008, can
serve as the basis for either an Opel Vectra or a Saab 9-3, the report noted.
GM reportedly said it was still committed to production at Trollhaettan. In
addition to a new mid-sized Cadillac built for the European market, the
company also plans to keep producing other Saab models at the plant at least
until the end of 2010 and would expand the Saab line to include an
unspecified new "crossover" vehicle.
"Furthermore, we will make every attempt to allocate additional future
products to this facility," Carl-Peter Forster, president of GM Europe, said,
according to the report.
Of Trollhaettan's 53,000 residents, nearly 6,000 work for Saab, the
Associated Press added.
