Opel
The head of the traditional brand wrote to the employees and demonstrated his self-confidence.
But Opel’s CEO also reminds his team of “goals that have not yet been achieved” – the downsizing, for example, and the urgently needed “new regulation of the Opel pension scheme”.
Lohscheller confirms the start of production of the new Astra compact car in the Rüsselsheim factory for the second half of 2021.
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The Chief Executive Officer of the German car manufacturer Opel, Michael Lohscheller, recently addressed all employees. Business Insider has the internal letter from the top manager.
In his message to the workforce of the long-established Rüsselsheim company, Lohscheller draws a picture of the situation with plenty of light and shadow. “The mentality with which we mastered the challenges of last year should make us self-confident,” advises Opel’s CEO to the employees of the brand with the lightning bolt in the logo. They have “proven that we have set up our company weatherproof”.
Lohscheller hopes the merger of the French Groupe PSA, to which Opel belongs, with FCA to form the global player Stellantis, will provide additional “momentum”. Especially for Opel’s main plant in Rüsselsheim, he mentions the start of production of the new compact Astra model “in the second half of the year” as a “further highlight”. The Insignia continues to be built in the factory – and soon the DS 4 of the French Opel sister brand DS Automobiles.
However, Lohscheller, a long-time amateur marathon runner, also warned that there was still an extremely difficult stretch of road ahead of Opel. As examples of upcoming exertions, the manager frankly mentions “the goals that have not yet been achieved in terms of downsizing and the new regulation of the Opel pension scheme”.
Lohscheller’s urgent appeal: “We have to remain competitive and further improve our performance. We will also make rapid progress on our other major goals: further strengthening our brand, promoting internationalization and profitably increasing market share. “
In the style of a professional footballer – Opel sponsors, among others, the German first division club 1. Football and Sports Club Mainz 05 and the Ballspielverein Borussia 09 e. V. Dortmund – Opel captain assures his team: “We have shown that our defensive is in place.” And then the former VW manager Lohscheller gives a command that will be taken up just as interested in the Wolfsburg competitor as in Hyundai / Kia, Toyota or Ford: “Now we’re going on the offensive”. Jürgen Klopp, master trainer of the English Liverpool Football Club and Opel brand ambassador, couldn’t have put it more succinctly.
An Opel spokesman did not want to comment on “the internal document” when asked.
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