The upcoming closing of the Holden’s Adelaide factory has apparently sparked interest around the world and Motoring reports that many companies are eyeing the site after the year 2017 when it’s all planned to go quiet – funny how GM thinks it’s irrelevant and found shutting it down as being the best bet…
It’s been noted by the South Australian Premier, Jay Weatherill, that he’s had meetings with industry leaders to find solutions for the absorption of the 1,600 layoffs.
“We’re receiving unsolicited propositions from a range of companies and others that we’ve gone out and pursued ourselves. We’re obviously working through them,” he noted, adding that it’s not only automotive companies that are interested in the plant, as “there’s also armored vehicle manufacturers and other whole sectors that have completely different industry opportunities, for instance in the food industry… All of those things are on the table and they’re being given consideration, too.”
The SA Premier is confident that they could even create a surplus of jobs in the “tens of thousands” if the plan is carefully thought out, realistic and actually aimed at supporting the people, instead of just treating them as numbers in a statistic.
Another idea would be to create “world-class” LPG conversion facilities in three major cities (Melbourne and Geelong aside from Adelaide). This one was put forth by Victoria’s Automotive Chamber of Commerce (VACC) and Gas Energy Australia.
The Victorian Premier, Denis Napthine, conceded that “there is a new game in town. It’s the closure of Holdens. It does mean that we have to consider things that perhaps haven’t been considered before,” concentrated on the “augmentation of the infrastructure around water or transport or electricity or gas, they may actually be able to make their investment decision… We want to identify and accelerate that.”
Do check out the spoof video below, before you go; it’s based on the concept of the official “We’re here” promo released by the company not so long ago…
By Andrei Nedelea
VIDEO