Wednesday 7th January 2004

More Bentley Boys Required

Crewe recruits to reduce waiting lists

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Bentley is taking on 300 more staff at it Crewe plant to help boost production and cut waiting times. It has been inundated with more that 7,000 hopefuls applying for the vacancies.

US buyers have taken the Continental GT to heart – but the problem is that if a customer orders one currently, it won’t be delivered until May 2005.

For buyers in the UK, the wait for a new Continental GT now extends beyond 18 months.

Volkswagen, Bentley’s owner, wants to add a second shift to help boost annual Continental GT production to around 3,500 with Arnage production at 700 a year. The current recruitment campaign will take the headcount at Crewe to more than 3,000 by the middle of the year.

[anonymous-user]

Fantastic news for the local economy. IF they can keep the demand up with new cars. Otherwise there're going to be 300 people back out of work in 12 / 18 months time when the initial rush has been dealt with.

[nonegreen]

Unfortunately all it means is that other local industries will also be recruiting as Bentley take their best staff. This is in no way meant as a criticism of Bentley it is however a fact of life. The good news is that a couple of high skill companies that have moved or gone into liquidation locally will have their old wrokforce mopped up.