Opel confirms the stop of production at Bochum plant in 2016


Opel management has informed - on 9/12/2012- the workforce that vehicle production at the Bochum plant will be discontinued after production of the Zafira model which is scheduled to cease in 2016. The Zafira is the last model produced in this factory.

Among the 3000 current jobs, some will be kept on the logistics center and a possible parts production plant which could be created on the spot. Opel will also finance  a “working group "perspective Bochum 2022" aiming at finding opportunities to create a new activity in the site and finding employment in the city and region to ensure the conversion of 3,000 current employees.

The Bochum plant began operations in 1962 with the launch of the Opel Kadett. Since the early 2000s, it has recorded a drastic decline in production volume due to several relocations.

From 2015, the Opel Astra is no longer produced in Poland (Gliwice) and Great Britain (Ellesmere Port), and from 2016, the Opel Zafira will be output in Poland (Gliwice ).



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Imports to Korea now exceed 11% of the market

- The Korean “cruise” market is around 1.2 million cars per year (to be compared to the French “cruise” market which is around 2 million cars per year).


- Imports of cars in Korea have always been very low compared to the overall market (less than 1% until 2000 and less than 5% until 2006) and compared to other major markets, such as Europe or the USA.


- In Asia (including China and Japan), imports remain historically very low.


- However since 2009, there is a sharp increase of imports in Korea (+5.2% in 2009, +7.4% in 2010, +8.7% in 2011 and +11.3% in 2012). In 2012, imports in Korea exceeded for the first time 11% of the market.


- Two-thirds of these imports come from German brands (BMW, Mercedes, Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche), which will represent at the end of 2012 a sales volume of around 90 000 units.


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Hyundai-Kia use more than 100% of its capacities


- Seung-Tack Kim, International manager of Hyundai announced that Hyundai and Kia plants run at over 100% of their capacities. The Korean group will produce 7.1 million vehicles in 2012 (versus 6.6 million in 2011) for a potential of... 7,000,000 (two teams).


- "We must therefore use overtime to meet the demand," precise M.Kim, adding that the group does not want overcapacity that may influence its sales prices.


- The Korean group prefers to add new teams in existing plants rather than building new plants, for economical and financial reasons.

 

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4 manufacturers make 75% of the Brazilian market

- The Brazilian market is historically very concentrated because four carmakers share 75% of the market:

Fiat = 24%
Volkswagen = 23%
GM = 19%
Ford = 9%

- Coming later, the two French carmakers (Renault and PSA) are in ambush behind the four leaders.


- The Japanese, Korean and Chinese carmakers are behind the French ones in term of market share.


- Finally, Premium manufacturers (BMW, Mercedes, Volvo) take a very marginal position.

 

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Citroën postpones the future C5 launch

- Citroën should launch the third generation of the C5 in 2016 and not in 2014 as originally planned. This report is directly related to the PSA-GM agreement on future common platforms.


- Within the scope of the partnership between PSA Peugeot Citroën and General Motors, the next C5, Peugeot 508 and Opel Insignia should indeed be based on similar technical modules, which motivated the postponement.


- In 2014, Citroën will launch the DS-X crossover, whose size is similar to the Audi Q5’s or BMW X3’s. Primarily designed for the Chinese market, the DS-X will also be commercialised in Europe. It could be assembled in the Sochaux PSA Peugeot Citroën plant, on the same line as the Peugeot 3008 and Citroën DS5 and also be available in a Hybrid4 version.


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