Opel/Vauxhall Decides Upon Production Locations for Next-Generation Astra

The Ellesmere Port decision was made possible due to a new labor agreement which was approved by the Ellesmere Port workforce yesterday. The agreement runs through the life of the next-generation Astra.

As part of the agreement, the plant will implement several operating solutions to improve flexibility and reduce fixed costs and hence significantly improve its cost competitiveness. This will make Ellesmere Port plant one of the most competitive plants in the Opel/Vauxhall manufacturing network.

Since its foundation in 1998, the Gliwice plant has built outstanding quality at very competitive cost levels for Opel/Vauxhall. The plant has embraced a spirit of continuous improvements and its flexibility and cost competitiveness paved the way for Opel/Vauxhall to assign production of the next-generation Astra to Gliwice.

Assembly of the new compact car is slated to start in 2015. Operating in a three-shift model, both plants are expected to run profitably at full capacity utilization. Opel/ Vauxhall intends to invest €300 million into the two facilities in order to upgrade them to the latest manufacturing standards and prepare for production of the new model. The company expects to create approximately 700 direct jobs in Ellesmere Port.

Opel/Vauxhall will also target increased local content for the Astra which will create further employment in both locations.

Opel/Vauxhall does not expect to need additional compact car capacity beyond what the two plants offer. Consequently, production of the Astra in Rüsselsheim will be discontinued at the end of its lifecycle.