KdL Automotive Volvo onderhoud voor youngtimers en klassiekers Middelbeers Brabant

New owner for NedCar?

A couple of weeks ago I posted an item about the closing of former Volvo-factory NedCar in Born (the Netherlands, where the Volvo 300-series, 400-series and S40/V40 were build). You can find the article here.

But yesterday Mitsubishi announced they’re willing to find a buyer for it (which was also said earlier: you can buy the factory for 1 Euro but have to take over the employees as well) and today there is some big news: 2 companies are very interested in taking over Nedcar. It’s a Chinese and an European car company. Needless to say: I expect the Chinese car concern could be Geely, which means Volvo can be involved. Geely is one of the very few Chinese car manufacturers which is active in Europe. The other company could be BMW, which needs to solve their capacity problems with the production of some new Mini-models.

Mitsubishi, NedCar and the Dutch government (the Economics department) will negotiate in the next three months to settle a deal. In the meanwhile other car manufacturers are able to show their interest in the NedCar-factory.

Since Volvo showed the first new V40-pictures it is expected that Volvo will produce the V40 in Ghent (Belgium), but what if the capacity isn’t there (in case the V50 will be produced for a longer term)? Ghent isn’t far away from The Netherlands (Born) and of course: Volvo knows the factory very well, since they produced cars in Born for more than 25 years. But rumours say a new (potential) owner wants to produce cars in 2015 with 800 employees. Since Volvo is planning to build a new small car (and looking for a company who wants to join in this program), it could be done in Born as Ghent might have capacity problems when the C30, S40 and new V40 are being produced there.

new Volvo V40 2012 front
new Volvo V40 2012 back
Will the new Volvo V40 be produced at NedCar?

It’s not unlikely Volvo will return (thanks to Geely) to Born and produce cars in The Netherlands. The Dutch Volvos were pretty good and the employees were very reliable. Since the factory is a bargain (it justs costs 1 Euro and Mitsubishi don’t need to settle a social plan when they sell the factory) and Volvo has increasing sales it wouldn’t surprise me if Geely takes over NedCar and starts producing new Volvos. Let’s hope the good old Volvo-days will live again in Born!

 




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