Peugeot’s Ellesmere Port factory to go down to four-day week
Peugeot’s car factory at Ellesmere Port in Cheshire will go down to a four-day working week later this month as the manufacturer looks to save costs due to the stalling European car market.
Last year the plant built around 62,000 Vauxhall and Opel Astra models last year, but there is doubt over the long-term future of the plant depending on how Brexit talks progress.
The firm said that the firm would run over new four day schedule with extended hours, meaning that the total number of hours would be the same as if the plant was operating over five days:
“Therefore, [there will be] no impact of volume”, a statement said.
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Peugeot added that there would be no job cuts as a result of the move but said that it will discuss “any impacts” with work force representatives and trade unions.
It also clarified that the decision was not related to the coronavirus outbreak.
Last week chief executive Chris Tavares told the press that no decision on the future of the site would be taken “until we have a clear understanding of the outcome of discussions between the British government and the European Union”.
“We won’t have an answer on that until at least midway through this year and most probably not until the end of 2020”, he went on to say.
He said that the key factor for determining the firm’s future would be whether the eventual deal between the UK and the EU could preserve a free trade market on finished cars and parts.