LDV turns to Government for help

[Ian]

LDV turns to Government for help
Wednesday 14 January 2009, 10:31

LDV is seeking talks with the Government to discuss the prospect of immediate financial assistance following the extended shutdown of its Washwood Heath plant into February.

As with others in the industry, LDV is struggling to forecast when sustained demand for new vehicles will recommence and losses are presently being incurred due to little or no production and reduced sales.

Guy Jones, PR and marketing director for LDV, said, “LDV and the excellent workforce here have ‘done all the right things’ that the Government has asked.

“We have invested heavily in the company creating 200 new jobs, transforming the skills of our workforce and developing cleaner electric vehicles, but the scale of the downturn has devastated the entire sector. LDV is producing the vans of tomorrow today and we hope the Government recognise and supports such UK innovation.”

LDV is owned by Russian manufacturer GAZ Group, which has invested $100m (£69m) in new technology, models, markets and workforce since it acquired the company in 2006.

LDV stated that Government assistance would be a last resort and it is still exploring all other avenues of support.

This includes preparing an application to the European Investment Bank for funds to continue its investment in green technology, seeking foreign investment, and continuing to pursue an aggressive and innovative marketing strategy to rekindle demand.

SOURCE: AMOnline

[nathandavid88]

Yet another clear sign that the Government is not doing enough to help the vehicle manufacturers in the UK! LDV has benefited greatly from that investment GAZ has put into the company, it is only right that the Mr Brown helps out as well! Putting money into only the banks is a strategy that will come back to bite them if they aren't careful!

[glyn scothern]

Originally Posted by nathandavid88

Yet another clear sign that the Government is not doing enough to help the vehicle manufacturers in the UK! LDV has benefited greatly from that investment GAZ has put into the company, it is only right that the Mr Brown helps out as well! Putting money into only the banks is a strategy that will come back to bite them if they aren't careful!

mr brown may think it is a good idea to build houses on the site ,but who will buy as no one has jobs ,,he should give them money to lay them off for 3 months ,that will clear the fields of unsold vans and then start up again,

[drdial]

I was working at a DAF truck/LDV van main dealer when the Maxus van was released,supposedly the saviour project of LDV.

The recalls were horrendous from washer jets to sliding door falling off to engine/oil problems.

The demonstrator we had was used for parts delivery to get it seen,it blew up in 2 weeks ..... ahhh LDV ... would you invest money????

You don't see many on the road still do you?

[Devonshire Dave]

i hired a Maxus van and the EGR valve broke on it, so it went into limp home mode. the mechanic at the DAF/LDV dealer in Aberystwyth said they were too reliable, as they werent getting many in, so losing business.

[drdial]

well obviously they improved after launch? You used one and it broke ... It has been 3-4 years practicing after all They still recalled 20,000+ recently after a rear wheel detachment problem was identified.

[patpending]

On the one hand, I have always "bought British" or wanted to until recently. Failing which, other European. I even bought my first HP computer believing it to have been made in Holland (which might have been true...)

On the other hand, this landed me with an awful lot of rubbish, from the expensive, but unreliable, HMV record player to the fiddly Ferguson black-and-white telly.

MGR's products were demonstrably good quality, they just weren't selling enough to be competitive (and I can't help feeling that if they had been rescued as was, they would have been in dire trouble now).

What I instinctively feel when I hear of taxpayers' money shoring up carmakers like the Americans, the French and the Germans (and even the Chinese) is that money is being wasted and that it could more usefully go to being saved. I hear that the way the world economies work is more complicated than that...

[xerif]

Sales have gone into a nosedive and they are running at just over 1% of the UK van market. I think they're doomed alas. Selling 200 vans in a month isn't viable.

[Devonshire Dave]

Originally Posted by xerif

Sales have gone into a nosedive and they are running at just over 1% of the UK van market. I think they're doomed alas. Selling 200 vans in a month isn't viable.

ouch, i didnt realise it was that low a percentage. they really need to bring out a smaller and a bigger model if they have any sort of long term survival, and build it as a cheap rugged vehicle not filled with electric everything.

[glyn scothern]

why did they not fit a rover 20,turbo diesel engine in the maxus,it a good engine is it not? local not imported

[steveharvey2001]

Originally Posted by glyn scothern

why did they not fit a rover 20,turbo diesel engine in the maxus,it a good engine is it not? local not imported

What 2.0L Rover Diesel Engine ??
I don't suppose you are referring to the one in the Rover 75 and LR Freelander as that is a BMW lump built in Austria .....

[glyn scothern]

Originally Posted by steveharvey2001

What 2.0L Rover Diesel Engine ??
I don't suppose you are referring to the one in the Rover 75 and LR Freelander as that is a BMW lump built in Austria .....

rover 45 L series type 101 BHP or more in later types

[thefarmer]

Originally Posted by glyn scothern

rover 45 L series type 101 BHP or more in later types

The old Sherpa had the Perkins Prima in it so suppose it would be possible.

[Devonshire Dave]

Originally Posted by glyn scothern

rover 45 L series type 101 BHP or more in later types

to be honest i dont think the L series would have quite had the Torque required for a fully laden 3.5 tonne van, hence they use a VM 2.5 litre engine. The L series has plenty of power, but not enough "lugging" ability. Also the Maxus was launched in late 2004, so they would have been pretty stuck if Rover had supplied their engines.

[glyn scothern]

landrover 5 cylender 2 . 5cc..old but extra 500cc a bit more develoment perhaps,

[Ian]

Originally Posted by glyn scothern

landrover 5 cylender 2 . 5cc..old but extra 500cc a bit more develoment perhaps,

One reason that it wouldn't be a goer - CO2 emissions