The last two bastions of automotive manufacturing, Toyota Australia and General Motors Holden have called their last days of manufacturing in Australia.
Altona, Victoria and Elizabeth, South Australia will see Toyota and Holden shut down their manufacturing sites on October 3rd and October 20th respectively. In case you missed it.
Toyota announced on Tuesday it will build its last Aurion in August, Camry Hybrid in September in September and Camry petrol in October. The company will continue running its AM and PM shifts until the Oct 3 closure day when total production volume will crask 61,000 vehicles for the year – 26,000 domestic and 34,400 experot units made with Aussie labour.
The consolidation of sales, distribution and corporate functions from Sydney to Melbourne, as well as the closure process will see employee numbers reduced from 3900 to roughly 1300. Head office will remain based in Port Melbourne and the Altona site will be retained for “new and relocated functions” according to Toyota.
“Our priority over the remaining months is to continue to support our employees in every way possible to that they are well prepared for the future,” Toyota Oz CEO Dave Buttner said. “We remain proud of our rich manufacturing history which spans over 50 years…producing vehicles of the highest quality as we work towards our goal of ‘last car=best global car.”
Holden announced last month it will clock off its Elizabeth plant on October 20, as it promised back in 2013. It’ll have produced 30,000 
Commodores, utes and Caprice cars by that day and of the 700 who’ve left the plant since, 80% have “successfully transitioned” according got Holden.
The updates for the last Aussie-built Commdore have been announced while the 2018 next-gen Opel-sourced import Commdore has also been revealed.
