General Motors first announced its decision to shut down the Halol facility and move to Talegaon in 2015. The move was initially scheduled for March 2017, but the company extended its deadline by a month to ensure orderly transition of suppliers, employees and stakeholders. Earlier today, the company finally proclaimed its operations to have been closed down in Halol.
The Halol facility began operation in 1996 with the production of Opel Cars. GM India President and Managing Director, Kaher Kazem said that a range of additional support measures have been put in place for employees who opted for the significantly enhanced separation payments and as well as those who opted for transfer. These support measures also include tax and financial advice and pre-transfer visits to Talegaon for the transferred employees. Reports indicate that of the total 650-odd workers, around 350 employees have been transferred to the Talegaon facility.
Kazem further added, “GM India is very grateful for the continued support of the Government of Gujarat throughout our time manufacturing at Halol and through this period of transition. I would like to recognize all our employees for their dedication, professionalism and contributions over the many years of operation and also to our suppliers for their partnership and support.” The Talegaon facility has a production capacity of 160,000 units annually and the new generation Chevrolet Beat hatchback as well as the compact sedan, Essentia, will be produced here.
