Holden reverses Australia engineering closure

[webfact]

Holden reverses Australia engineering closure
Reported by By Jamie Duncan

MELBOURNE: -- Holden will maintain an engineering centre in Australia after local car production ends in 2017 but says it will mainly only re-tune imported models for local conditions.

The company will maintain about 70 staff at its Victorian proving ground which General Motors International Operations president Stefan Jacoby said would re-tune imported cars for Australian buyers and may perform some work for GM's international engineering team.

Holden announced the closure of the Lang Lang facility as part of its December decision to cease making the Commodore, Statesman/Caprice and Cruze range of locally-made cars, costing 2900 jobs in total.

Mr Jacoby denied reversing the decision to retain Lang Lang, part of Holden product development since the 1950s, was a marketing exercise as its market share falls after it announced local manufacturing will cease.

"As we continue to plan for the company's success now and in the future, it is important that Holden and its vehicles retain their Australian DNA," he said.

Full story: http://finance.ninemsn.com.au/newsbusiness/8838065/holden-reverses-aust-engineering-closure

-- 9NEWS 2014-05-01

[NumbNut]

Sounds like a marketing exercise though, doesn't it.

[shirtless]

Hey Holden why bother with this token gesture, you took our money and gave us a crap product , Now you cant compete you move of shore, Just close your doors.

[Rorri]

shirtless, on 02 May 2014 - 09:26, said:

Hey Holden why bother with this token gesture, you took our money and gave us a crap product , Now you cant compete you move of shore, Just close your doors.

What do you mean, move off shore...Holden is an off shore branch of General Motors, has been for years.. You're being a bit harsh calling Holdens crap, I've always found them reasonably good, the closest Ford came to them was the XW and XY GT's lol...

[Cats4ever]

Token gestures are welcome when dinkum ones are scarce.

[bob strutt]

who cares, after rudd and gillard there is no way back for my country, im out, let the keating muslims have what is left of a once great country

[paymaster]

who cares, after rudd and gillard there is no way back for my country, im out, let the keating muslims have what is left of a once great country[/quote

What are u talking about? Another hate filled anti muslim post from a holden shut down is really illogical. Justby the way it was abbott and hockey who stopped the vehicle industry subsidies. But dont let any facts get in the way of your rant. Strutt on bob.

[dirk28]

Facts are Paymaster, Labor has destroyed this country. Labor cost for making cars are too high through unions demanding too much, even the head of GMH said that no money would save holden in aus. Just some wasted money Labor did, pink batts, school halls, $900 hand outs, NBN. I have quicker internet in my village than here in adelaide where i live only 8kms from the CBD. Juliar gave 200 million to a international education fund run by a 27yr man , now she's chairman or something of that fund or board. Australia is stuffed by the last 6yrs of government and Julia and Kev knew they had stuffed this country and promised all of these programs costing heaps to the next government. Julia hated Tony guts, just watching question time, some of the looks julia gave Tony are unbelievable. She and Kevin only look after themselves.

[neverdie]

shirtless, on 02 May 2014 - 09:26, said:

Hey Holden why bother with this token gesture, you took our money and gave us a crap product , Now you cant compete you move of shore, Just close your doors.

What do you mean, move off shore...Holden is an off shore branch of General Motors, has been for years.. You're being a bit harsh calling Holdens crap, I've always found them reasonably good, the closest Ford came to them was the XW and XY GT's lol...

If you only ever drove Holdens and Fords the. you probably would think they are good cars, but after having driven 'other' brands especially euro stuff then that's when you realise what an aweful motor vehicle the Aussie ones were. Poorly built cars, built to a price point. The word flimsy springs to mind.

Edit to say, 70 jobs is nothing to be sneezed at, that's at least 70 families who will sleep easier tonight.

Edited May 3, 2014 by neverdie

[Spoonman]

Hey Holden why bother with this token gesture, you took our money and gave us a crap product , Now you cant compete you move of shore, Just close your doors.

Are you one of the 4 people in Australia that actually purchased a new Holden ?