What happens to a town and its people when a major employer leaves it? Many have faced this question and now, with the closure of Honda’s car factory on Friday this week, it’s Swindon’s turn.
Located to the south-east of the Wiltshire town, built on the old South Marston airfield, it opened in 1985. It was a major moment in Swindon’s history. At the time, I lived and worked 10 miles away, in Cirencester. Some of my friends got jobs there and were cock-a-hoop at the prospect of securing wellpaid jobs and getting on a career ladder. Assuming they stayed, some of them will be approaching retirement age now. Sadly, for younger employees just starting out, the plant’s closure is a body blow. Few firms in Swindon offer working conditions, career progression or salaries as good as Honda’s.
Beyond the security fences of the factory are the people and businesses who support it. Major component suppliers to small roadside cafes: they will all be affected by the closure. What will their future be? I went to Swindon to find out.
It’s raining when I drop by the Supermarine Sports and Social Club, half a mile from the Honda factory. Out of the blue, a van turns up. It’s the local pest controller – and he’s not happy. “There’s going to be a surge of tradespeople when the Honda plant closes, all competing with the existing ones,” he tells me. “Honda has organised training in various trades, including electrical and plumbing. Workers are going to leave the plant after a couple of weeks thinking they know the job. Already I’ve had people telling me that they’ve found a bloke who worked at Honda who can get rid of their rat problem for less than I charge.”
An anxious rat-catcher was the last person who I expected to hear from, but he has got me thinking that while the factory closure is a threat to some people in Swindon, it’s an opportunity for others. My theory is confirmed a few minutes later when, a short drive from the club on the South Marston industrial estate, I spy a recruitment agency. Opex Personnel opened only 18 months ago, but its timing couldn’t have been better.
“There are more jobs than people to do them, and the problem is becoming acute,” says Ashlea, the agency’s regional manager. She reveals that, along with two other local agencies, Opex gave a recruitment presentation to 3400 staff at the Honda plant in February and found that most were well trained and qualified in their roles. “The calibre of people leaving Honda is phenomenal, so its closure will benefit other businesses,” she continues. “Swindon’s strength is industrial logistics, and the future for this sector is rosy. HGV and forklift drivers are all needed, and many people leaving Honda have these skills. They will need to be realistic regarding salaries, though. Not every company pays as well as Honda.”
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Leaving uk and maybe Europe due to unappealing cars, cars for cheese EU deal, spending money on hydrogen fool cells whilst the sensible money on the BEV. Simples
But the truth is this: Honda left the UK because of Boris's Brexit.
Why do you even bother Symanski? How does that saying go, best let people believe you're anfool than open your mouth and remove all doubt?
Honda has always maintained it's not due to Brexit. But you ignore that.
Honda announced the closure of their Gebze plant on the same day they announced the Swindon closure. But you ignore that.
Nissan just announced investment in EV in the UK. You ignore that.
Ellesere Port just announcing investment in EV in the UK. You ignore that.
If Brexit was the reason then why move production back to Japan, surely they'd move production to an EU state rather than Japan? You ignore that.
Swindon has almost always been running at reduced capacity from the day it was built. Factory production has never achieved its potential. You ignore that.
We're now finding in these comments many remoaners seem to be completely ignorant of how the EU works. If Symanski had paid any attention to politics, he would have realised the EU struck a deal with Japanese that reduced the 10% import duties of cars from Japan. That tarrif will eventually end up at 0%. So manufacturing EU bound cars in Japan has just become a whole lot cheaper.
Neither has he bothered to pay any attention to declining Honda sales in the EU. Civic never used to be out of our top 10 best selling cars. Accord was another high selling car -
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out why Honda quit Europe, a 5 year old could work it out. Trouble is, folk like Syminski don't have the intelligence of a 5 year old so it's all down to Brexit according to them.
No Symanski, they're leaving the EU because the EU agreed a trade deal where tariffs will disappear on Japanese cars imported from Japan over time. They're also leaving because Honda sales have plummeted in the EU due to badly styled products. So combination of an EU policy, and products that people don't want.