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End for Antwerp

October 4, 2010

Opel will shutter its plant in Antwerp by the end of 2010, officials announced Monday. The Belgian plant employed about 2,500 workers, roughly half of whom have already been laid off.

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Workers at Opel's Antwerp plant
General Motors wants to cut its European capacity by a fifthImage: AP

The German carmaker Opel announced Monday that it would close its plant in Antwerp, Belgium, by the end of the year. The General Motors unit said it was unable to find a suitable investor to support the plant.

The Belgian plant employed about 2,500 workers, about half of whom were laid off over the summer.

The US automobile giant General Motors (GM), which owns Opel, announced in January that it would restructure its European auto plants, eliminating about 8,000 jobs.

Opel CEO Nick Reilly
Opel's CEO expects to post a profit again in 2012Image: AP

No state aid

Opel's CEO Nick Reilly told reporters at last week's Paris auto show that although the company expected to post a profit in 2012, it would probably report "a significant loss" in 2010, along with further restructuring charges in 2011.

GM opted not to pursue European state aid for the restructuring, after lengthy talks with German officials failed to yield an agreement that satisfied the US firm.

Author: Sarah Harman (AFP/dpa)
Editor: Nancy Isenson

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