GM opens new plant in Russia

[Cerridwen]

link

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev sits at the wheel of a new car as GM Europe's President Carl Peter Foster, left, and U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Beyrle, second right, stand by at the opening of General Motors car plant outside St. Petersburg in Russia, Friday, Nov. 7, 2008. General Motors Corp. has opened its first Russian assembly plant in a ceremony attended by Medvedev. The US$300 million, 70,000-car-a-year factory is a bright spot for the staggering automotive giant.

How much is Russia kicking in to help out GM?

[Donnachaidh]

1. and GM wants us to bail them out when they are opening plants in Russia?

Note to GM CEO -- go F*CK yourself.

[RB TexLa]

2. Their North American operations could be liquidated and a new company formed with

government assistance on the retirees and retooling of plants. GM does not have to remain as a presence in North America.

[Cerridwen]

3. Then why expect Americans to bail them out?

If they don't need to stay here and they can move wherever they so choose, shouldn't their other "home" countries pitch in?

Why does our footing the bill insure they'll stay here after we've paid? Shouldn't we, just once, get something for our benefit for our tax dollars?

[RB TexLa]

5. I don't, GM does not deserve. The governement can help with the new companies that replace them

and help with shoring up a the retirement pensions and such.

They don't have to stay here.

[Cerridwen]

6. I didn't think you did. Sorry, I didn't make that clear.

I'd like to see the US plants reclaimed and retooled to go green. And yeah, I'm okay with them using "bailout" monies to do so. I think that's similar to what you said.

Wow, I think we're in agreement. How often does that happen on DU?

:D

[Cerridwen]

4. I wonder if that 300 million might have helped them?

I mean, 300 million here and 300 million there and pretty soon, we're talking real money.

[ACTION BASTARD]

16. Yep, keep buying Amerikkkun.

[Cerridwen]

17. My "American made" vehicle was "made" in Canada.

Thank you to my "fellow" Canadians. It has been a reliable vehicle.

[raccoon]

7. K&R. nt

[Cerridwen]

8. More information - GM sales boom in Russia

GM sales boom in Russia
GM nearly doubled industry growth in Russia from January-September 2008 with sales up 44 percent to 256,765 cars and SUVs. GM reached a market share of 11 percent and was the leading international vehicle manufacturer in Europe’s second biggest market.

Chevrolet sales in Russia grew by 33.5 percent or 44,145 units in the first nine months of this year to 175,798. Opel is the fastest growing brand in the Russian vehicle market with sales rocketing to 78,051 in the January-September period, which corresponds to a growth rate of 73.3 percent.

Top quality through standardised manufacturing methods
“Our St. Petersburg plant will work to the same high standards that have recently resulted in major quality awards for our cars,” said Carl-Peter Forster. GM’s new employees in St. Petersburg have undergone intensive training in the company’s global manufacturing system which focuses on top quality in all processes, continuous improvement and involvement of the workforce.

From this link

[JVS]

10. With oil down 60%, don't expect the Russian boom to keep up speed.

[Cerridwen]

11. How well you think the US will "keep up speed?" n/t

[JVS]

13. we're bad off too.

[Cerridwen]

15. Precisely.

[Cerridwen]

9. Not archived yet. I'm gonna kick it.

:kick:

[old mark]

12. Is Russia contributing to the bailout? nt

[Cerridwen]

14. Or the other countries in which this *multi-national* company

has plants?

Gee, I wonder.

[bridgit]

18. Toyota makes cars here. Some of this makes sense. Why ship cars round the world...

when you can make them there and start selling

[Cerridwen]

19. Fine. Let the nations in which the multi-nationals have operations

chip in for the bailout.

I don't care if they go global. That should mean they'd get global dollars, yes?

We are now the world's "police force" and the world's "nest egg?" Er, I'd prefer, not so much.

[Trekologer]

20. Once again...

...it is more cost-efficient to build the cars in the country they are sold in than to make them somewhere else and ship them. This is why Toyota, Honda, BMW, and others build cars in North America.

There are a lot of things to fault GM for. This is not one of them.