A Chinese investor group that made an unsuccessful bid for Opel’s Antwerp plant says it is still seeking assembly facilities.

The bidder – which is declining to be named – claims to be a state-owned holding company with private backing from the Chinese car industry.

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“We had a clear business model and a clear business plan for taking over this factory,” a spokesman for the investor group told just-auto. “We need assembly facilities for sure and we are actively looking for them.”

“The investors are Chinese and it is a a state-owned holding company with some private investors from the Chinese car industry. But this deal is already over – as the deal is not there any more I don’t want to give any information.”

The spokesman added the investor group had a non-disclosure agreement with Opel parent GM.

He also noted there were “a number of potential buyers, not only us,” for the Antwerp site.

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European union representatives confirmed last week there had been Chinese interest in acquiring the plant but that Opel maintained there was not a business case.

“I can’t understand the thinking about Opel – as long as they sell it [the site] for the price they want – I think realistically they did not want to sell it to the Chinese,” European Metalworkers Federation company policy director Tony Murphy said.

Opel has indicated the Antwerp plant will close by the end of the year with a winding down operation already in progress. Some 1,250 jobs are likely to be lost.

The Antwerp Port Authority has expressed an interest in making a bid, but there is no timetable as the closure of the plant has not yet taken place.