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06.12.14, 08:47
auto industry
With the Opel plant in Bochum closes after 52 years one of the major car manufacturers in Germany. For the region, which is a heavy blow. Nearly 3,000 jobs are eliminated.
From Nicholas DollAt the dirty-brown facade fluttering banners in the wind that blows icy of the Ruhr ago. “Jobs rather than employment office” in place or “We were heart and soul Opelaner”. At the factory gate, a lone man stands with a sign. “Thank you for the many wonderful years”, he painted with awkward letters. Friday, 14 clock, shift changes at Opel in Bochum. For the last time. When that day comes to a close, the car production is in the works for 3000 employees only history.
Burkard Aust goes to work, just as he always did , “For 40 years I am in the process, I have learned a toolmaker,” he says. On Thursday, he has built in the late shift even cars. More precisely, in the press shop for plates made. “The last part, I have found you made were for a Zafira,” he says. On Friday will no longer work. “We have something to eat here, little talk, drink. That’s it then with building cars,” he says.
Monday he comes again, the staff meeting. “Then we’ll see. When we need to show up here last time, we do not know yet.” Aust is 55 years old, he is now in the transfer company, then the “Pension Bridge”, the financial bridge comes to retirement. “If already. Today I’m glad that’s over here,” he says. No sooner have Aust and its layer disappeared, the terrain is orphaned before the halls. The lobby of the administration building is eerily empty.
152 years old is the company Opel, the Bochum plant has only made it to 52 years. Bochum was not older, inefficient, unprofitable than other plants in the European network of Opel and Vauxhall. The works under its chairman Einenkel was combative and more uncomfortable than other employee representatives.
Longtime downtrend
For 20 years, it goes with the Opel brand downhill, a market share of 20 percent in this country had the maker of classics such as the Kadett, Manta or GT in the 1970s, and now he is six or seven percent. And each percentage point that things are looking up, is mobbed by adoring fans. The very large depth, the daughter of the US carmaker General Motors (GM) behind it, whether it is sufficient for a successful future remains to be seen. But it is clear that Opel was too big for what was sold in Cars in recent years. And to this day is too big.
Ever since 2004, when Opel finished the engine production in Bochum, the struggle for survival had begun in the Ruhr work. 2009 Opel escaped by a hair’s insolvency. At that time, many people suspected that the Bochum plant would have no future. “Opel had because of excess capacity after the closure of Antwerp 2010 or remove a plant in Europe,” says auto expert Ferdinand Dudenhöffer. This also threatened British factory Ellesmere Port had then cleverly negotiated as Bochum – the decision was against the Ruhr
A restructuring agreement should the closure of the Bochum production with -. From today Overview – absorb relatively generous offers, such as the continued production until 2016. But the Bochum employees did not trust their corporate management. They rejected the treaty as the only German plant in the spring of 2013 by a large majority. The plant closure they could not prevent it. Around 550 million euros paid by the car company by the unions, now for the job market and severance pay. On average, each employee receives after union calculation around 125,000 euros, which must be taxed, however.
Now, the last car is built on 12 December, enter the Opelaner their ID cards from from. But the automaker is recovering, slowly, but sales figures and market shares rise again. After all, the downward trend has slowed down. And that, although it will be further restricted by the parent company GM to Europe, a market that is over tired and there on the die-hard competition.
Who sold there more, can not take how easily new customers in China in reception. The need to supplant others. Others, such as the Volkswagen Group, at least until recently could not go with power. However, Opel plans a flood of new models recently introduced cars mocha and Adam are selling well, the proposed Karl is, because of his name a PR coup. And in the case of the small SUV Mokka is the Opel workers even managed to retrieve the production of South Korea to Europe.
GM has lots of plans for Opel, Americans need the brand for Europe, such as group chief Marry Barra has reaffirmed during her last visit to Germany a few days ago. We will continue to invest in Opel, she said. And the old, so often humiliated auto giant GM still has immense power. Only the Bochum Opel will restart their lives, in all of this, what is planned in the future, may no longer be there
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