Holden cuts back production

Holden's announcement that the company would stand down production staff during the first quarter of next year hasn't exactly sent shockwaves through the industry.

In some ways, the Commodore production facility has been a victim of its own success. Working at a capacity of up to 620 units a day spread across two shifts, the plant has been supplying not only the domestic market, but export markets in the Middle East and the US.

Holden denies that the downturn in sales for the American market has affected demand for the Holden-built Pontiac G8. In fact, according to Jonathon Rose, Holden's Corporate Communications Manager, the plant has commenced production of the high-performance (LS3 V8-powered) G8 GXP for the US market. Pontiac hasn't announced an on-sale date as yet, but the cars are already being shipped to the States.

Rose tells us that the plant will close down "for 22 'non-production days' between the 14th of January and the 31st of March, in addition to three 'PDOs' [Programmed Days Off]".

Unions and workers were informed of the production hiatus yesterday and have accepted that the downtime is preferable to shedding jobs at the plant.

Commodore remains the best-selling large car in the market, bolstered by sales of the new Sportwagon, Ute and exports of the long-wheelbase WH Chevrolet Caprice, but not even Holden can remained completely unaffected by the current economic turmoil, both here and abroad.

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