Vauxhall confirms Ellesmere Port production hike

VAUXHALL bosses have confirmed plans for a third shift at the company’s factory in Ellesmere Port, and that there will be no job losses.

Outlining his vision for the future in Germany yesterday, the company’s chief executive Nick Reilly, revealed major investment plans and 8,300 job losses across Europe – including around 500 in Luton.

As he pledged in December, the Ellesmere Port plant, which employs around 2,400 people and is one of the most efficient in the Vauxhall/Opel group, will continue making the new Astra model as well as the Astra Sports Tourer, which will lead to the introduction of a third shift by the middle of next year.

Hopes are high too, that beyond this, manufacturing of the electric car Ampera will be built there as well.

Mr Reilly – who earlier in his career worked at Ellesmere Port – said his the business plan offered “a realistic road map” to success.

He said 11bn euros would be invested between now and 2014 in the group, which he forecast will break even next year and “make a decent profit” by 2012.