11,500 Delphi jobs to go

Around 100 manufacturing jobs will be lost in the UK after the world’s largest car parts manufacturer decided to close its steering-gear plant in Southampton.

Delphi Automotive Systems announced that 11,500 jobs will go worldwide to combat falling car sales in Europe and the US.

About $900 million of the US company’s businesses are to be closed after a three-month review.  Three factories are to be closed or sold in the US as part of a restructuring plan that involves six factories in France, Italy, Germany, and Brazil, as well as the UK.

The company which has 190 manufacturing plants in 31 countries, issued a profits warning yesterday, predicting a net loss of up to $50 million in the first quarter of 2001.

www.delphiauto.com

By Karen Higginbottom