Bullish Vauxhall recruits and revs up production

SOARING demand for the new Astra Sports Tourer has created 100 jobs at the Vauxhall factory in Ellesmere Port.

In addition the factory, which now has 2,100 employees, is now ramping up production from new and established export markets. A third shift has been launched in the paint and body shop and extra overtime shifts on Saturdays will be introduced over the next few months. 

More than 46,000 Astra Sports Tourers, which are exclusively built in Ellesmere Port for the whole of Europe, have been produced this year..

Launched last autumn the Sports Tourer is number one in its segment on a European basis and also number one in the UK.

Plant director Tony Francavilla told TheBusinessDesk.com that as well as serving European countries such as Germany – its biggest single market – the factory is starting to export the car to new locations including South Africa.

“The increase in production and the fact that we can offer our people overtime is really great news and a reflection of the quality, flexibility and commitment of the people here.”

Mr Francavilla, a Canadian, moved to the North West a year ago from a General Motors plant in Poland.

He said: “This plant has an excellent workforce and its is great we have been able to add to it in the last few months. The people here have had, just before I came here, to live with uncertainty during the reorganisation which General Motors went through.

“There was a possibility the plant could have been sold to Magna, but I’ve been really impressed with and pleased with the focus on the launch of the new model and in working to meet the demand as the market has picked up.”

He believes more could be done to improve the automotive supply chain in the North West – a matter that he said would require some Government support.

On the question of the prospect of the Ellesmere Port plant winning the production of Ampera – General Motors’ exciting new electric powered model – Mr Francavilla was less forthcoming.

“We don’t know if and when a decision will be made to build the Ampera in Europe, and what we have to do now is concentrate on being ready for it when that happens.

“This means continuing to improve, investing in our people and in lean manufacturing so we improve our quality and remain competitive.”

The second part of our interview with Tony Francavilla will be published next week.