Solution for GM/Opel plant in Antwerp

The management of GM Europe and the European Employee Forum (EEF) have agreed on a plan for the assembly plant in Antwerp, Belgium. After the run-out of the present compact car generation, the plan foresees to manufacture two models of a new generation vehicle from one of GM's global architectures for the European market. Based on the current forecast an annual volume of up to 120,000 units is foreseen.

Prerequisite for a new production program for Antwerp is a competitiveness enhancement. This includes the determination of a future 3-shift-model, which also is dependent on technical capabilities, financially viable options and the detailed work organization. Management and employee representatives will continue to jointly work on viable solutions.

After a meeting with the employee representatives in Rüsselsheim, Germany, GM Europe president Carl-Peter Forster said: “The significant structural improvements we are aiming for will make it possible to allocate an appropriate production volume to the plant.”

Klaus Franz, Chairman of the EEF, said: “After we’ve achieved our target to avoid a plant closure, we've now reached the second important step forward to get two products to Antwerp that point the way ahead. One of these products will be an Opel model and there are good opportunities for an additional model.”

The plan for a new production allocation also reflects strong sales of GME’s brands and the success of the multi-brand strategy in Europe. In the first quarter of 2007 GME set a sales record with almost 554.000 deliveries and a market share of 9.8 percent, the best market share in ten years.