Unions Perplexed by Opel's Antwerp Developments

A Chinese investor is willing to take over the plant, the Port Authority is willing to make a bid for it too but even so, General Motors continues its plans to wind down the local operations. Unions are struggling to secure the future of the Antwerp facility but still, without the support of the US-based parent company, the local factory will be closed by year end.

According to a report by just-auto.com, the European Metalworkers Federation (EMF) says that representatives of the German carmaker avoided talking about the future of the Antwerp plant, leaving room for interpretation, thus leading to rumors that the factory might after all continue operations. Rumors are suggesting that the anonymous Chinese party is the one to save it but GM has already denied talks with an investor.

"There was a very, very big Chinese interest but Opel said there was not a business case," EMF company policy director Tony Murphy told just-auto from Belgium. "I can't understand the thinking about Opel - as long as they sell it [site] for the price they want - I think realistically they did not want to sell it to the Chinese."

"The Port Authority has first option on the land. There is a rumour and it is only a rumour, they will end up buying the land with a view to the Chinese or whoever doing a deal with the Port Authority," said Murphy. "That is a big, big possibility."

In spite of this reluctance to comment on the future of the plant, Opel continues to emphasize that General Motors hasn't received a bid for the Antwerp facility and the Chinese investor everybody talks about does not exist.

"There is nothing to announce - we do not talk about these talks with possible investors," an Opel spokesman told the source.