Cadillac Europe

Cadillac Europe is a Swiss company in the field of automobiles. In the past, it was also active as a manufacturer.

Cadillac Europe
TypeSubsidiary of
General Motors
IndustryAutomotive
Founded1 May 1935
HeadquartersGlattpark, Opfikon, canton of Zürich, Switzerland
Area served
Europe
ProductsAutomobiles
Commercial vehicles
Services
  • Vehicle financing
  • Vehicle insurance
ParentGeneral Motors

History

General Motors was looking for a suitable location for an assembly plant in Switzerland in the 1930s.[1] Guido Müller, the then city president of Biel, offered a finished factory and tax exemption for five years.[1] On 2 May 1935, General Motors Suisse was founded in Biel/Bienne.[1] The company register derogates from 1 May 1935.[2] The first vehicle was produced on 5 February 1936.[1] Until the outbreak of World War II, about 2,000 vehicles were produced each year.[1]

After the end of the war, production continued and expanded.[1] At the end of the 1950s, annual capacity was 14,500 cars.[1] In the mid-1960s, more than 1,000 people were employed.[3] In 1970, 17,102 vehicles were created.[1] In addition, imported vehicles were sold.[1] At the time, problems started. Switzerland belonged to the European Free Trade Association, not to European Union. A Free Trade Agreement of 22 July 1972 between the European Economic Community and Switzerland was in force from 1 January 1973. The plan was to assemble upper class cars such as the Opel Diplomat. The following oil crisis from 16 October 1973 caused the sales of such vehicles to fall rapidly, after which cheaper models were assembled again. The last vehicle was produced on August 14, 1975.[1][3] It was an Opel. A total of 329,864 vehicles were manufactured.[1][3]

The company was then limited to Import and distribution.[1] In 1994, it was renamed Opel Suisse SA,[1] later Opel Svizzera SA and Opel Schweiz AG.[4] On 17 November 2003, the old company name was accepted again.[5] Alternative or translated names were General Motors Schweiz AG, General Motors Svizzera SA and General Motors Switzerland Ltd.[5] On 13 April 2004, there was a merger agreement with Saab Automobile Schweiz AG, which was acquired.[6] Saab belonged to General Motors at the time. On 14 April 2004, the head office was relocated to Opfikon.[7] On 24 May 2012, there was another merger agreement, this time with General Motors Europe AG.[8]

On 6 March 2017, Opel was sold by General Motors to the Groupe PSA. The next merger agreement followed on 30 June 2017. As a result of this, General Motors Suisse changed its name to Cadillac Europe GmbH in the legal form of limited liability. An alternative or translated company name was Cadillac Euope LLC.[9] On 16 February 2018, the headquarters was moved to Glattpark.[10] The obvious spelling mistake in Cadillac Euope LLC was later officially changed to Cadillac Europe LLC.[11]

Brands
MarqueProduction startedProduction ended
Buick19361958
Cadillac19381940
Chevrolet19361938
LaSalle19361937
Oldsmobile19361958
Opel19361975
Pontiac19361959
Ranger19701975
Vauxhall19461971

References
  1. Christoph Zürcher: General Motors (GM) Auf: Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz. Vom 15. August 2016. (abgerufen am 26. Oktober 2019)
  2. Marcel Motzet: Montage Suisse Automobile. Katalog zur Sonderausstellung 75 Jahre General Motors Suisse SA. Swiss Car Register, Sektion Montage Suisse, 2009. PDF
  3. Marcel Motzet: Historie der General Motors Suisse in einem Clubmagazin (PDF; abgerufen am 26. Oktober 2019)
  4. Übersicht des Swiss Car Register (abgerufen am 26. Oktober 2019)
  5. Änderung im Handelsregister, Mitteilung vom 31. Dezember 2003 (PDF; abgerufen am 26. Oktober 2019)
  6. Änderung im Handelsregister, Mitteilung vom 26. April 2004 (abgerufen am 26. Oktober 2019)
  7. Änderung im Handelsregister, Mitteilung vom 19. Mai 2004 (abgerufen am 26. Oktober 2019)
  8. Änderung im Handelsregister, Mitteilung vom 20. Juni 2012 (abgerufen am 26. Oktober 2019)
  9. Änderung im Handelsregister, Mitteilung vom 12. Juli 2017 (abgerufen am 26. Oktober 2019)
  10. Änderung im Handelsregister, Mitteilung vom 6. März 2018 (abgerufen am 26. Oktober 2019)
  11. Änderung im Handelsregister, Mitteilung vom 8. März 2018 (abgerufen am 26. Oktober 2019)
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