Type
Closure
Country
Portugal
Region
Continente; Centro (P); Oeste
Location of affected unit(s)
Azambuja
Sector
Manufacturing
Manufacture For Transport Equipment
Manufacture Of Motor Vehicles, Trailers And Semi-Trailers
29.3 - Manufacture of parts and accessories for motor vehicles

1,200 - 1,800 jobs
Number of planned job losses
Job loss
Announcement Date
15 June 2006
Employment effect (start)
Foreseen end date
31 December 2006

Description

Following a long negotiation process with trade unions and the Portuguese Government, General Motor (GM - manufacture of parts and accessories for motoror vehicles) announced the closing of the Azambuja factory by the end of 2006, justifying the closure with the high logistics costs and the need to transfer the production of Opel Combo to a larger factory located in Zaragoza, Spain.

Since the signed contract between GM and the Portuguese Government is valid up to 2008, the Portuguese Government declared its intention to sue GM.

All legal and contractual mechanisms will be put in action in order to compensate for the serious damages this decision causes to Portugal.

GM Europe already announced it would give back the incentives received from the Portuguese Government for the Azambuja unit which will exceed 30 million euros.

This closure will affect 1,200 direct workers. There is also the possibility that the closure of this factory will affect 600 more jobs in the supplying industry.


Sources

  • 15 June 2006: Público
  • 12 July 2006: Público
  • 13 July 2006: Diário de Notícias
  • 16 June 2006: Público

Citation

Eurofound (2006), General Motors, Closure in Portugal, factsheet number 63790, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/63790.