Re: Mitsubi**** pulling out of OZ?

"RogerM" <RogerM@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
news:13qffi8a3ueeu20@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> News to hand is Mitsu is currently having a meeting in Japan to consider

> "pulling out" completely of Oz. Thousands will lose their jobs. Their
big 
> hope of the 380 as being the savior of the company has failed dismally.
>
> I feel for the Mitsubi**** workers.

Expect confirmation today some time.

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23163505-5001028,00.html

SENIOR Mitsubi**** officials have been re****ted as saying the car company 
will shut its factory in Australia today, leaving up to 1000 people out of
a 
job.

The factory in Adelaide makes the 380 sedan but the model has struggled
with 
weak sales and the plant is operating below capacity.

Bloomberg news today re****ted three company officials as saying the
closure 
would be announced following a board meeting in Tokyo this afternoon.

Mitsubi**** employs 1140 people in Australia, according to Bloomberg.

Official sales figures to be released today are expected to show fewer
than 
700 380s were sold in January - one of the worst figures on record and
well 
below early forecasts of up to 2500 a month.

Federal Industry Minister Kim Carr said last night Mitsubi**** had advised 
there was nothing the state or federal government could do "to add to the 
company's deliberations".

South Australian Premier Mike Rann said he had been advised a decision on 
the plant's future would be taken today by the Mitsubi**** board in Japan.

Mr Rann revealed that he had spoken yesterday to Mitsubi**** president
Osamu 
Masuko in Tokyo after meeting the company's Australian chief executive, 
Robert McEniry.

"I've been told by Mitsubi**** management that any decision will be solely
a 
commercial decision, based on the viability of local manufacturing, as
part 
of a global restructure of the company," Mr Rann said.

Closure of the Tonsley Park factory would be the latest in a long line of 
setbacks for the Australian car industry which has shed an estimated 7500 
jobs over the past four years.

Adelaide has been especially hard hit. Mitsubi**** closed its engine plant
at 
Lonsdale with the loss of about 650 jobs in 2005, and at the same time 
slashed 350 jobs from the Tonsley Park assembly facility.



-- 

Kwyj.