After 69 years of automotive production, Holden
marked a somber moment as the last Australian-built model rolled off the
assembly line earlier today. The final car was a VFII Commodore Redline and it
will hold a special place in Australian history as car isn't just the last
Holden to be built in the country but the last car to be produced by a major
automaker following the exit of Ford and Toyota.
While Holden has only been building cars since 1948,
the automaker says it's the "second oldest transportation company" in
the world as it started as a saddlery business in 1856. Over the years, the
company produced 7,687,675 vehicles and employed countless numbers of
employees.
During a private ceremony for employees, Holden
Chairman Mark Bernhard said "Holden is the icon it is today only because
of these passionate people. On behalf of everyone at Holden, I thank you for
your service from the bottom of my heart."
The plant closure has been hard for a number of
employees but Bernhard says 85 percent of workers have successfully
transitioned to other jobs and "we’ve worked closely with our people to
support them." Bernhard went on to say the employee transition center will
remain open for at least two more years so "all Holden and supply chain
employees have the best possible chance to successfully transition."
Despite the end of Australian production, Holden
will still continue to employ approximately 1,000 people including the
company's design and engineering teams.
