Vauxhall closes van-making factory in Luton

Vauxhall’s van-making factory in Luton, Bedfordshire, closed on Friday.

Parent company Stellantis said it will now transfer “machinery and process knowledge” to its plant in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.

It announced the closure of its Luton factory in November 2024, putting 1,100 jobs at risk.

The company said at the time that the decision was made within the context of the Government’s “stringent” zero-emission vehicle (Zev) mandate.

Under the mandate, at least 22% of new cars and 10% of new vans sold by each manufacturer in the UK in 2024 must have been zero-emission, which generally means pure electric.

Stellantis announced in January that it had met the requirements in 2024.

The closure of the Luton factory forms part of the group’s plan to consolidate its UK manufacturing of vans to create an all-electric hub at its Ellesmere Port plant.

It is investing £50 million in the Cheshire site.

Stellantis said in a statement: “Production of the current medium van range ceased today in Luton.

“There will now be a period of transforming and transferring machinery and process knowledge to Ellesmere Port.

“Production of the group’s medium all-electric LCV (light commercial vehicles) range (eK0) in Ellesmere Port will commence in Q4 2026.

“Our employees always remain our priority, and we continue to act responsibly towards our colleagues in Luton.

“We continue with direct consultation meetings, relocation support for those who wish to transition to Ellesmere Port and onsite support activities, such as job fairs, CV writing, retraining support and wellness sessions.”