Opel Nears End of Transmission Production in Bochum

VIENNA – Adam Opel plans to cease transmission output at its plant in Bochum, Germany, at the end of this month.

With the recent production restart following a vacation shutdown, Opel Bochum management presented the works council with its production plans for second-half 2013.

“The plant will probably reach the required worldwide transmission production volume for (General Motors) vehicles by the end of the third quarter,” plant spokesman Alexander Bazio tells WardsAuto.

After production ends and all transmissions are delivered to customers, the plant will be closed, likely by the end of this year.

The Bochum facility manufactured 176,726 F13 5-speed transmissions in 2012. Plans for this year call for output of about 120,000 units.

The 275 workers currently involved in transmission production reportedly will transfer to the plant’s car line.

As earlier announced, car production in Bochum will continue until the end of 2014.

The plant manufactured 136,197 Opel/Vauxhall vehicles in 2012. The total comprises 51,848 Zafira Tourer minivans, 53,978 previous-generation Zafira Family minivans and 30,374 previous-generation Astra III hatchbacks and wagons destined mainly for Eastern European markets.

Vehicle production is running slightly higher than originally forecast, Bazio says, and Opel expects to produce more than 100,000 units in Bochum this year.

Currently, the factory builds almost 600 vehicles per day on three shifts, and production is expected to continue at that rate until the end of the year. However, that volume is significantly lower than capacity, so it would be possible to maintain the present rate with just two shifts.

Originally, Opel expected to continue car production in Bochum until late 2016. However, this spring GM decided to move up the closing after plant employees rejected a tentative restructuring deal reached between union leaders and management.

Zafira minivan production will be transferred to Opel’s plant in Russelsheim, Germany, after the end of 2014. Production of the Astra III will be phased out sometime next year.