The European Crisis is effecting some manufacturers more than others.
Wayne Gerdes -
CleanMPG - Aug 24, 2012
Opel’s sustainable mobility includes the Ampera as Europe’s first PHEV.
Using the exact drivetrain as the current Volt, the 16 kWh LG Chem Li-Ion feeds the same advanced, 150 HP MGSet to deliver between 35 plus miles of all electric operation depending on terrain, driving technique and temperature from a full charged.
Unfortunaltey Opel is in a bad way and given the price and poor sales of the Ampera, too few Euro’s are reaching Corporate coffers.
Opel makes use of work reduction protections until the end of the year in Germany.
In an agreement with the Works Council and IG Metall, Opel announced short work for its Rüsselsheim facilities and Kaiserslautern component plant, starting next month. The agreement includes 20 short work days for each of the facilities until the end of 2012.
Holger Kimmes, Member of the Opel Management Board and VP, Opel/Vauxhall Personnel:
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“Until recently, the decreased production schedules could be compensated by applying corridor shifts and accrued overtime. Now short work is the right bridging measure.”
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The introduction of short work will safeguard jobs. Thanks to the support of short work payment and an additional allowance from the company, the financial burden for the employees will be limited. The Works Council and IG Metall have worked to ensure that this socially responsible measure can be applied to the Rüsselsheim work force and production area, as well as administration.
Short work applies to manufacturing as well as to the central and administrative functions. In manufacturing, labor time will be reduced by short work shifts or short work days starting in September. In the administrative and service functions, short work days will be applied starting in October. Individual policies will apply in these functions. Engineering is not affected by short work.
There are 13,800 employees working in Opel’s Rüsselsheim facilities, with 3,500 employees in manufacturing, 3300 in central and administrative functions and 7,000 in engineering. About 50 percent of the Rüsselsheim employees are affected by short work.
The Kaiserslautern plant has a workforce of 2,500.
VW/Adui
At the same time this is going out, VW is having a banner year even across Europe with the slowdown.
In Europe, Volkswagen delivered a total of 2.23 million vs. 2.20 million vehicles (+1.6 percent) during the first seven months. Deliveries in Western Europe (excluding Germany) fell slightly to 1.15 million vs. 1.22 million units (-5.9 percent) as a result of the continued difficult market situation. In its home market of Germany, Europe’s largest automaker recorded a 4.4 percent increase to 708,100 (678,400) units. The Central and Eastern Europe region continued to develop well, with customers taking delivery of 376,300 vehicles vs. 299,600 vehicles last year (+25.6 percent).
Audi being part of VW had an even better month and year to date on the European Continent.
Despite the continuing difficult economic environment in some markets, July saw AUDI AG secure further growth in Europe. With around 60,800 cars sold, the Company improved on the prior-year month by 5.5 percent. The Ingolstadt carmaker achieved especially strong growth in Eastern Europe – unit sales there climbed by 31.4 percent to a deliveries total of around 4,800 last month. The main driver of growth in that region was Russia, where 2,757 Audi models were sold (up 35.6 percent). The brand with the four rings also maintained its dynamic performance in its home market of Germany. Sales there rose 10.7 percent to 23,712 automobiles. Cumulatively, the unit total for Germany over the first seven months is up 7.8 percent (157,885 units). This growth was fueled in particular by the A1 Sportback, the A6 Avant and the Q3. From January through July, Audi delivered some 14,500 units of its new compact SUV to customers in Germany.
The European marketshare shakeup is going to get ugly for a lot of players. Ford is holding its own in the UK but falling across Europe. France’s Peugeot is also experiencing a downturn in automobile sales.
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