European union representatives have accused Opel of not giving any chance or support to a potential investor for its doomed plant at Antwerp.
The GM subsidiary dashed any hopes this week that the Astra-producing factory with a remaining 1,250 employees could be saved, with vehicle assembly slated to halt at the end of this year.
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The European Metalworkers Federation (EMF) claimed an investor – widely believed to be Chinese – had intended to take over the workforce and the plant by end of 2010 to build up to 100,000 vehicles by 2013.
Engines and transmissions were planned to be bought from Opel added the EMF, which would have helped to secure jobs at the Bochum transmission site and the Aspern engine plant.
Support also apparently came from the Flemish and Belgian Governments to back the sale.
“The most decisive question for the investor was the licence to produce the previous Astra models under a different brand name,” noted an EMF statement.
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By GlobalData“This question had not been answered by Opel/Vauxhall. Right from the beginning of the talks Opel/Vauxhall management has neither given a chance nor any support to the investor developing a sustainable business plan. Management would rather accept that 1,250 people lose their jobs at Antwerp and [an] additional EUR230m (US$322m) would be wasted for winding down the site.”
The EMF is demanding talks with the investor continue and a business plan for the Antwerp facility be established.
“Opel appears to be going through the motions but is not giving the potential investor a realistic chance to make a business case,” added EMF company policy director Tony Murphy.
Opel however, is adamant there was not a viable business case and despite several meetings with the potential investor, many questions still remained unanswered.
“GM was willing to talk about all parameters including this licensing question, but not as long as there is no sustainable business plan,” an Opel spokeswoman told just-auto from Belgium.
“The plant will close at the end of the year – we are also having talks with the Antwerp Port Authority.”
The latter comment may form part of any non-industrial future for the plant, but details as yet remain unclear.
And in a statement emailed to just-auto by Opel today (21 October), the automaker stressed the non-viability of the investor plan.
“The most recent proposal did not have a viable manufacturing plan to competitively sell the vehicles that the investor was interested in,” it said.
“In addition, the investment into the Antwerp facility would have been minimal and rather done elsewhere.”
