The future of hundreds of jobs for people in North East Wales is uncertain after Vauxhall parent Opel this week announced details of a voluntary severance scheme in Russelsheim, Germany which shares Astra production with Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. It has been known since spring last year that 2,100 jobs would be going in Germany when Opel produce the next generation Astra and it raised concerns … [Read more...]
Massive merger of European brands on the cards
Talks have started to merge Peugeot-Citroen-Vauxhall and Fiat-Chrysler-Jeep operations around the world. The new business would be the fourth biggest in the automotive sector and have implications for all their current manufacturing plants building 8.7 Million vehicles annually and turning in a €170 Billion revenue and €11 Billion profit. The deal will help shave billions of dollars from … [Read more...]
UK Automotive facing more losses in Brexit warning
Another 6,500 British automotive jobs in two car plants are on the line if the UK leaves the EU without a trade deal. Mini workers 4,500 jobs will be be diluted in Oxford and Ford Dagenham may shift diesel engine production to Europe if no deal is done. There will be knock on effects to the plants' UK suppliers and local economies as well. Honda has said it will close Swindon in a couple of … [Read more...]
Tradelines 31 July
Vauxhall’s senior boss has said the Ellesmere Plant may be shut, axing hundreds of jobs for workers in North East Wales. Parent PSA boss Carlos Tavares said the cost of making Astra cars there may be prohibitive after Brexit and another European plant could take over their manufacture in Russelsheim, Germany from 2021. The Ford Ka+ is being killed off for Europe, dealers have been told, … [Read more...]
Slovakian aid to JLR given green light by EC
JLR has been cleared of receiving illegal EU money for its new assembly plant in Nitra, Slovakia. The European Commission said yesterday it concluded that Slovakia’s £110.6 million of investment aid to Jaguar Land Rover was in line with EU State aid rules. The Commission said public support for the British carmaker to build in the Nitra region was necessary to ensure the plant was in Europe … [Read more...]
Newslines 28 April
The latest Mercedes-AMG E53 saloon and estate models are now available from £61,835 and £63,835 respectively. The 435hp 3.0 6cyl models replace the AMG E43 and get a 9sp quick changing automatic transmission as well as more focused chassis and trim. Vauxhall Astra Ellesmere Port workers have agreed a £750 payment and 1.5% pay rise from the end of this year. It mirrors the deal in Luton … [Read more...]
£170M Vauxhall Luton van plant investment
Vauxhall Luton van plant will build the next generation Vivaro from next year, and probably some Peugeot and Citroen models which will use the same platform in the group. The news today secures about 1,400 jobs beyond 2030 and represents up to £170m investment in the plant said the Unite union, including about £9M from the Government. It is also expected to be good news for the UK supply chain … [Read more...]
Newslines 23 January
Unite union has met PSA over plans for Ellesmere Port Vauxhall plant, which assembles Astra models. Discussions followed a 250 jobs cut announced this month on top of 400 jobs going since last autumn but the company has said it is twice as expensive to run as the French equivalent plants. UK industrialist Sanjeev Gupta is bidding to build electric vehicles in a factory GM Australia closed … [Read more...]
Newslines 20 January
Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port plant must halve its production costs if it is to meet PSA goals, company boss Carlos Tavares has told journalists at Detroit motor show as he prepares to meet UK Government and unions. The new owner of Ellesmere Port and Luton van plants said their French equivalents cost half as much to operate and it has already announced 650 job cuts in the North West and has … [Read more...]
Vauxhall cut another 250 jobs in UK, for now
A further 250 jobs will go at Vauxhall, Ellesmere Port. These are in addition to the 400 posts it announced in October and follow a dramatic slowdown in UK sales at a time when the company’s new parent in France, PSA Group, is looking for greater efficiencies at it rolls out a new business plan. The Ellesmere Port plant makes the Astra and it will move staff from two shifts to one. Higher … [Read more...]