General Motors is to close its factory in Bochum. The announcement comes as company bosses confirmed the replacement for the current Zafira will not be built at the plant in western Germany. The plant will continue to produce the current Zafira until 2016.
GM executives have blamed the shrinking European car market and overcapacities in the industry for the move.
Bosses hope workers will be redeployed to Bochum’s warehousing operations, with the aim of no forced redundancies before 2016. A new component production facility in the town is under discussion.
Opel’s deputy CEO, Thomas Sedran said: "Germany is our most important market and with about 20,000 employees the backbone and home of our brand. And this will stay this way in the future.”
The announcement is part of the firm’s “Drive Opel 2012” plan, which targets break-even by mid decade. As part of the strategy, Opel will introduce 23 new models and 13 new engines before 2016.
