Vauxhall Luton constructed its last automobile, a Vivaro order wagon, ending 120 years of manufacturing on the plant.

The choice to shut the historic business automobile manufacturing unit was introduced in November 2024 by the Vauxhall proprietor Stellantis. All the corporate’s UK manufacturing will transfer its website in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.

Former Stellantis chief Carlos Tavares introduced the choice a couple of months after threatening closures as a part of a wrestle with the British authorities over the mandate of the zero emission (ZEV).

Tavares stated the Zev mandate “our enterprise mannequin” has been considerably injured “as a result of automobile producers are pressured to promote extra EVs, however that no incentives are provided to patrons and the business is fighting a downturn in EV stake.

He stated that the shifting of all operations to at least one base will “consolidate” British Manufacturing Foot Hint of Stellantis. He added that this determination would “probably contribute to larger manufacturing effectivity” -something the agency stated would additionally enable it to attain more and more strict Zev mandate targets, rising to 26% this 12 months.

All Luton equipment might be moved to Ellesmere Port, the place greater than £ 50m might be spent then to improve it to sort out the additional workload.

The choice to shut Luton ended up at 1100 posts and only some hundred roles had been assured to be moved to Ellesmere Port, Stellantis stated. A session has been launched for affected workers, with those that aren’t provided the transfer to supply retraining or probably work at neighboring companies.

After the November announcement, commerce union bosses referred to as on Stellantis to reverse its determination, because it was made a couple of days earlier than Tavares’ shock resignation.

Unite referred to as the closing determination ‘one final instance of Tavares’ failed technique’ and stated it have to be ‘stopped whereas the corporate is on the lookout for a brand new CEO and a brand new course’.

In response, Stellantis has dedicated to “the continuity of the continued tasks already communicated” led by chairman John Elkann and an interim govt committee.

Unite argued that till Tavar’s successor was appointed (within the first half of 2025), all earlier essential selections must be stopped.