Vauxhall boss hopes for hat-trick

THE boss of the Ellesmere Port Vauxhall plant has hailed the latest model to roll off the production line, and has high hopes more success is around the corner.

Speaking at the launch of the Astra Sports Tourer, a sleek updated version of the Astra estate, Canadian Tony Francavilla, who took over the running of the Cheshire plant in April said: “We have had a lot of activity here recently, and have been building some great vehicles.

“The Astra hatchback last October has been a great success, and we are really proud of the Sports Tourer – it is a really great vehicle – and I think we can justifiably expect it to do very well.”

“We want to achieve a hat-trick of successes and our third goal is to land the Ampera.”

The Ampera is Vauxhall’s pioneering electric-powered car. A decision on where it will be made is expected by General Motors in the next year. Winning the production of the next-generation car would guarantee the future of Ellesmere Port, which employs more than 2,000 people, for the next decade.

Mr Francavilla said 7,600 Astra Sports Tourers had already been built and were being exported to Europe – Ellesmere Port is the only General Motors factory manufacturing the model.

Referring to the troubled recent past of parent company General Motors – which had to be rescued by the US Government – and last year nearly sold Vauxhall and its other European arm, Opel, he said: “We’ve gone through some interesting times of late, but things are obviously going much better for us.

“Cars like this are making a real difference, it is a great vehicle.”

Ellesmere Port, which in the last 17 years has received nearly £1bn worth of investment, is currently producing 38 cars per hour, a rate which will be increased to 45 per hour in the coming months.