HOLDEN TO CLOSE 2021

14 QUESTIONS answered on what happens now

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01 WHAT IS HAPPENING?

GENERAL MOTORS will retire the Holden brand before 2021, ending 89 years of history for Australia’s first and only motoring marque – but also one that stretches back to humble beginnings in Adelaide in 1856. More than 600 Holden staff are sadly reported to be out of jobs with the termination of operations both here and in New Zealand.

02 WHY IS GM DOING THIS?

There are enough reasons to fill a book, but the official line is General Motors believes right-hand drive markets like ours no longer justify continued investment. Or, the cost to help Holden claw its way up Australia’s sales charts is just too great.

GM global chair and CEO Marry Barra said GM will instead focus on markets “where we have the right strategies to drive robust returns, and prioritising global investments that will drive growth in the future of mobility”. This includes South America, Korea and the Middle East.

03 WHAT HAPPENS TO ALL THE ENGINEERS AND DESIGNERS?

GM International Operations Senior Vice President Julian Blissett told Australian press that “GM Design Australia and GM Holden Engineering located here in Australia will be consolidated in to other locations predominantly”. He then announced that both teams will cease local operations and finish by June.

Besides GM promising a severance package for displaced workers, it is unclear where their engineers and designers will go, especially now that Holden’s exit significantly shrinks the job market. However, Ford’s CEO Kay Hart has said Ford Australia is hiring and could absorb Holden staff if they had the right skill set.