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Another Holden boss departs
Alan Batey becomes fourth MD in three years to exit Holden for another position.
Holden has lost its fourth managing director and chairman in three years, with no one announced as a successor, leaving the company virtually rudderless in uncertain times.
Englishman Alan Batey served just six months in the hot seat since his appointment in September last year, now poached by GM in Detroit to be Chevrolet's vice president of sales and service.
''This comes as a shock, not just to you but to me,'' Mr Batey said. ''It's happened very, very quickly.''
As recently as December, a Holden spokesman told Fairfax that rumours Mr Batey would soon leave the Australian car maker were ''completely and utterly false''.
Mr Batey was in Brazil last week scoping new products when he received the call that there was a position waiting for him in the US.
''I leave Holden at a time when clearly our fortunes are turning for the better, we have a great plan in place to return to profitability,'' he said.
Mr Batey said Holden's chief financial officer, Mark Bernhard, ''supported by Holden's senior leadership team, will ensure continuity and the seamless execution of the company's strategic plan until a replacement is named''.
A replacement was expected to be named ''very quickly...I think it will happen within the next month'', Mr Batey said.
The top job at Holden has proved to be a short term proposition of recent times.
Mr Batey was appointed after his predecessor, Mark Reuss, returned to the US to take up senior positions in the midst of GM's financial meltdown last year after just 18 months in Holden's top job.
Mr Reuss replaced Chris Gubbey, who stayed just seven months in the top job, before taking up a position in GM Russia.
Mr Gubbey succeeded Denny Mooney, who returned to GM in the US in August 2007, before retiring last year.
Mr Batey will report to his old boss, Mr Reuss, who is now GM's North America president, raising export hopes for locally made Commodores to be sold in the US as Chevrolets, after the Pontiac brand was axed to make way for the ''new GM'' post-bankruptcy.
''If there's opportunities for Holden product that can enhance our portfolio and help us sell more cars, we'll obviously look at it seriously,'' Mr Batey said.
At Holden before being elevated to the top position, Mr Batey was executive director of sales and marketing. He masterminded the tactic of ''ambush marketing'' by arranging a giant airship with a video screen on its flanks — unofficially dubbed the ''Holdenberg'' — to fly over major sporting events to promote the then new VE Commodore, upsetting events' official sponsors.
With so many ex-Holden chief taking up senior positions in the GM empire, speculation is rife the outgoing Mitsubishi Australia chairman and chief executive Rob McEniry, might be heading back to GM, too.
Mr McEniry, who served at GM for decades, announced last month he would leave Mitsubishi at the end of March ''to pursue other business interests''. Are those ''interests'' at GM?
''Mr McEniry is leaving and going on to another thing, but assures us that it's not at GM,'' a spokeswoman for Mitsubishi Australia said. ''He hasn't been approached.''
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New supercharger kit for HSV’s LS3 V8 available now for almost $50,000
15 February 2010
By MARTON PETTENDY
WALKINSHAW Performance has released an ‘E2 Supercar’ kit for HSV owners desiring “that little bit extra” from their vehicles, headlined by a black-finished WP190 supercharger that extracts no less than 480kW of power and 802Nm of torque from GM’s 6.2-litre Chevrolet LS3 V8.
Priced at an equally surprising $49,920 and offered with a full no-cost drivetrain warranty for vehicles still under HSV’s new-car warranty, the E2 package also comprises WP’s new carbon-fibre fender vents, bonnet scoop, mirrors and hood header, a WP three-inch bi-modal exhaust system, WP lowered suspension kit, unique new WP 20-inch alloy wheels, unique WP engine covers, mats and head restraints and a WP carbon-fibre low-series spoiler.
“To be able to extract up to 480kW from the 6.2 litre Chevrolet LS3 V8 engine will make the Walkinshaw E2 Supercar a true collector’s item and a lot of fun to drive,” said WP’s national sales manager Tony Harris.
Covered by what is claimed to be another new performance industry-first is an optional $660 warranty for WP’s ‘power pack’ upgrade, which includes a ‘catback’ exhaust, cold air intake and ECU recalibation. WP supercharger packages start from $16,980.
“It’s a great car which is a heap of fun to drive and really stands out on the road,” said WP program engineer Alan Hale. “To be able to back that up with a new warranty offering sets a new standard for the Australian performance car industry.”
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GM Media - Australia - News & Information
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Holden will add a second production shift at its Global V6 engine facility in Port Melbourne after increases in export orders.
The Global V6 engine plant will increase the number of engines it produces each day from 240-320 to 440 from today.
Powertrain Lead Executive, Martyn Cray, said the production increase reflected improved export orders and a short term rise in manufacturing volumes at Holden vehicle assembly plant in Adelaide, where Commodore is made.
“Holden has received an increase in orders for our Global V6 engines which are exported to markets including South Korea, China and Mexico and we are lifting production of our engines as a result,” Cray said.
“We are also seeing increased local demand for Commodore after launching the new advanced Spark Ignition Direct Injection (SIDI) engine in 3.0 and 3.6 litre variants.”
The engine plant moved to a single shift in June following a fall in volume resulting from the Global Financial Crisis. Since that time the plant has been running at a daily rate of 240 to 320 engines a day, depending on demand.
The daily rate will rise to 440 engines a day until the end of the year and remain at 400 engines per day through January and February. “The past year has been an incredibly challenging time for Holden’s manufacturing workforce as they manage their lives around changes in our production schedule,” Mr Cray said.
The reintroduction of a second shift is being achieved within the existing workforce. "We managed to retain a skilled workforce through difficult times because we were confident things would turnaround. We are now able to lift production from within our existing team."
Holden Vehicle Operations at Elizabeth in South Australia, which will continue to operate on a single shift, is manufacturing 340 cars a day. The rate was increased earlier this month from the previous build rate of 310 cars a day.
This increased volume is intended to address anticipated demand for vehicles ahead of the 31 December deadline for the Government’s 50% investment allowance. It will also ensure cars are available to dealers across the Christmas shutdown period and into the New Year.
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Holden Off To A Great Start to 2010
From Holden Media
05 February 2010
Holden has recorded a 20 per cent rise in sales in January 2010 compared to the same month last year according to figures released today by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.
The figures show Australians purchased a total of 10,468 Holdens during January, with Commodore, Cruze, Captiva, Barina and Colorado all selling well.
For Holden, January highlights include:
* The best ever monthly sales result for Captiva (1421 sold), making it Australia’s best selling SUV;
* The best Barina month since January 2007 (1379 sold); and,
* Commodore was Australia’s best-selling car (3241 sold).
Holden’s Executive Director of Sales and Marketing John Elsworth said overall it was the best monthly sales result since January 2007.
“We’re planning a big year and this is a fantastic start,” Mr Elsworth said.
“The sales momentum we saw developing in December last year looks like it has carried over into the new year.
“We’ve grown our market share to 14.0% of what is a crowded and competitive market and we’re pleased with how we are tracking across our model range."
1. Holden Commodore - 3241
2. Mazda 3 - 3223
3. Toyota Hilux - 2997
4. Toyota Corolla - 2711
5. Ford Falcon - 2318
6. Holden Cruze - 2218
7. Hyundai i30 - 2116
8. Hyundai Getz - 1717
9. Mitsubishi Lancer - 1588
10. Toyota Yaris - 1562
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