New GM Europe president Nick Reilly said late on Thursday he would probably not now unveil his Opel/Vauxhall restructuring plan until January.
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“I said earlier that we would have a plan in place by year-end. Now it looks like an announcement may slip into January. This is not a broken promise. It is a pledge to do something right,” he wrote in a GM blog.
“We are determined to do this right. We must do this right. Although we had hoped to have the new business model finalised in December, it appears that more work needs to be done and further consultations will not be rushed.
“While it is indeed exciting to see that things are coming together, bear in mind this is going to be one of the largest, most complex industrial reorganisations in European manufacturing in years. It will affect thousands of people and their families; impact plants and other stakeholders.”
Reilly said he thought the speed at which he had acted since taking the Opel reins had “taken some people by surprise.
“I have continued constructive discussions with employee representatives, governmental officials and our leadership team,” he said.
He had also addressed a key union meeting, met with work councils and talked with government and EU officials in Brussels about the viability plan.
He had also visited Opel and Vauxhall sites throughout Europe while restructuring team member Klaus Franz was in Detroit last Monday for discussions with new GM chairman and CEO, Ed Whitacre.
Franz reported there were “a lot of areas of agreement and very few points of contention” and “I think the future in Europe looks great,” Reilly said, adding: “I can only wholeheartedly agree”.
On Tuesday he held a day-long meeting with senior Opel leaders to ‘strategise’ on what needs be done now and in the New Year.
