Jobs boost for IBC Luton
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• About 500 new jobs are being created at IBC as the Luton-based light van manufacturer gears up for a major export drive into Europe. All of the new posts should be filled by June, says IBC, which is a General Motors-Isuzu joint venture, set up to manufacture the Bedford Midi medium-duty van range, and the Bedford Rascal and Suzuki SuperCarry micro vans.
The first export vans rolled off the production line on Monday (22 February) destined for France and Italy and, says IBC vice-president Nick Reilly, "IBC is now able to move into the second phase of its business plan with an export-led increase in production to 40,000 units annually by 1990. To meet this target, the com pany plans to introduce doubleshift working in June, and it has started a recruitment campaign calling for up to 500 additional manufacturing staff. This will bring total employment in the company to around 1,700."
IBC reckons that 14,000 vans worth over 216 million will have been built for export by the end of the year and shipped to 14 European countries. As part of its exportdrive, the Luton plant played host to a delegation of 147 Spanish dealers last Friday.
0 IBC Vehicles is 60% owned by OM and 40% by lsuzu. It was formed in October 1987 to produce vans at the Luton plant previously operated by Bedford Commercial Vehicles.