Vic: Holden chooses Melbourne for engine plant = 2

AAP General News (Australia)
12-13-2000
Vic: Holden chooses Melbourne for engine plant = 2

The announcement by Holden managing director Peter Hanenberger in Port Melbourne this
morning means hundreds of jobs will flow to Victoria, and ends an intense bidding war
between Victoria and South Australia.

It is a victory for Holden, which fended off rival General Motors bids from Europe
and the United States, and for Victoria, which has been struck by a series of factory
closures in recent months.

Mr Hanenberger said the plant, to be constructed on Holden's existing property at Fisherman's
Bend, should be operational by October 2003.

It will have a production capacity of 214,000 units, and is expected to earn Holden
$450 million in export sales each year.

Mr Hanenberger said the decision to pick Victoria over South Australia as the location
for the new plant was tough, but Adelaide would benefit from increased investment in the
Elizabeth vehicle assembly operations.

"This is a triumph for Australia," Mr Hanenberger said.

"Australia is now without question an automotive leader in the Asia-Pacific region."

The new V6 engine will be used in future versions of the Holden Commodore and various
General Motors vehicles sold in markets around the world.

AAP pjb/tjd/was/bwl

KEYWORD: HOLDEN ANNOUNCE 2 MELBOURNE

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