Opel’s Spanish factory in Figuerelas expects to function at full capacity until 2016 as it gears up to make the redesigned Meriva minivan/MPV and the next generation Corsa supermini and Combo minivan models, according to trade union officials.
“We hope to work at 100% capacity until 2016,” Juan Jose Arceiz, president of the factory’s workers’ committee, told just-auto.
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His comments came after GM reassigned Figuerelas to build the new version of the Meriva, which is 4cm shorter than its predecessor and has ‘FlexDoors’ opening in opposite directions. The new model has new “more fuel efficient” engine that will also be made at the facility, located near the city of Zaragoza.
Figuerelas is ramping up to produce 900 units daily of the vehicle by November after the first cars rolled out last week.
Opel, which calls the car, also to be sold in the UK as a Vauxhall, “the champion of flexibility,” and will launch it worldwide 4 March. It spent EUR400m to prepare Figuerelas to produce it.
Arceiz’s comments come after GM announced it would close its Antwerp, Belgium factory as part of major restructuring in Europe. Officials said GM planned to keep Figuerelas open as it “makes products that cannot be replaced elsewhere”.
The comments have injected optimism into the Figuerelas workforce even though GM has said 900 will depart in the restructuring.
Arceiz said unions were waiting for GM to unveil its new strategy plan later this month before they start to negotiate. However, he said they will seek “non-traumatic” redundancies and other measures to encourage employment stability.
Apart from the Meriva, Arceiz said he expected GM to assign Figuerelas assembly of the next Corsa and Combo which are due in 2012 and 2013. The factory, which employs 8,000, makes both cars for distribution worldwide.
