motor

HeilSvenska · 02-26-2007, 06:58 PM

TVR shock: Smolenski back in charge

UNION officials reacted with anger after it was revealed Blackpool sports car firm TVR has been bought by its previous Russian owner.

TVR went into administration last year, with the loss of more than 250 jobs. The Transport and General Workers Union said it had learned former owner Nikolai Smolenski had bought the firm from administrators. Andy Robertson, the union's regional organiser, said: "If this means that manufacturing is taken out of Blackpool it will be a disaster for the area. "It is absurd that the previous owner, who allowed it to go into administration, is now once again the owner. "The Government should not allow this practice to take place. The workforce will be extremely angry and disappointed that Mr Smolenski has been able to walk away unscathed while they have suffered so much." A spokesman for administrators PKF confirmed a company owned by Mr Smolenski had bought the assets of TVR. It is understood that four companies put in bids for the sports car firm. A spokesman for the administrator said: "Our role was to achieve the best possible result for the creditors." He added that Mr Smolenski's bid was the highest. TVR went into administration at Christmas. More than 250 workers at its historic Bristol Avenue plant in Bispham were made redundant. Hopes had been high a number of interested consortiums would take over the famous brand and once again build cars on the Fylde coast. It is widely rumoured Mr Smolenski will now build TVRs abroad, with Italy among the favoured locations.

-Blackpool Gazette

Ugh. This is just disgusting.

TopGearNL · 02-26-2007, 07:03 PM

/\/\ He buys it AGAIN..?

This is certainly not good, TVR was doing better before he came along.. :x

ARMAN · 02-26-2007, 07:08 PM

what is disgusting? he bought it once and people who work there probably couldnt manage to make a good car that can hold togeather or compete with other sports cars, why some rich english guy didnt buy it afterall?

HeilSvenska · 02-26-2007, 07:19 PM

Ah yes. The resident Russian. Well. The rich Englishmen weren't rich enough. The bid apparently went to the highest bidder. That's what's disgusting. The problem was that Peter Wheeler sold TVR to Smolenski in the first place. It should have been sold to a person with more experience in automobile industry.

ARMAN · 02-26-2007, 07:36 PM

Why it is Smolenski to blame then?
Havent have done any improvement to TVR's or didnt they released new or updated cars while he was in charge?

Its business afterall it is like that with everything from cottage cheese manufactures to supercars brands :bah: when you are out of money you are broke and you only hope you can sell your business before you are doomed by creditors etc.

666fast · 02-26-2007, 07:45 PM

Originally Posted by ARMAN

Why it is Smolenski to blame then?
Havent have done any improvement to TVR's or didnt they released new or updated cars while he was in charge?

Its business afterall it is like that with everything from cottage cheese manufactures to supercars brands :bah: when you are out of money you are broke and you only hope you can sell your business before you are doomed by creditors etc.

It's common practice really, they people in charge send the company into bankruptcy and skate on as much debt as possible. It's the workers who get screwed. It's this kind of stuff that makes unions neccessary in some industries.

ARMAN · 02-26-2007, 07:52 PM

yes thats the common strategy all over the world probably, is Smolenski this kind of guy? i dont have enought info probably

Sir_GT · 02-26-2007, 10:39 PM

Tsk.

Crafty bugger.

He tries to run it. Realizes he can't because of costs. So he let's it fall apart into administration on the gamble that he can buy it afterwards when the company folds and the workers are already considered unemployed.

deuces · 02-27-2007, 12:47 AM

certainly not the most brilliant businessman to come out of russia

Stoopie · 02-27-2007, 03:43 AM

Yep, heard this too, kinda weird..

ARMAN · 02-27-2007, 06:08 AM

Originally Posted by deuces

certainly not the most brilliant businessman to come out of russia

LOL he is what 20 years old or so?

TopGearNL · 02-27-2007, 07:30 AM

Originally Posted by ARMAN

Originally Posted by deuces

certainly not the most brilliant businessman to come out of russia

LOL he is what 20 years old or so?

Yeah brilliant for his age, but not in general

inso · 02-27-2007, 11:24 AM

Reliability took tvr down, not smolensky.

Smolensky has gone great lengths to keep TVR in business, 3year guarantee being one.

The deal was mostly about the TVR name, not the company.

Taking the making away from England is because of bad labour, if the cars were better made, there would be no reason take building them away. And if quality had been better, cars would have been selling ok, and no problems in the first place.

Sir_GT · 02-27-2007, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by inso

Reliability took tvr down, not smolensky.

Smolensky has gone great lengths to keep TVR in business, 3year guarantee being one.

The deal was mostly about the TVR name, not the company.

Taking the making away from England is because of bad labour, if the cars were better made, there would be no reason take building them away. And if quality had been better, cars would have been selling ok, and no problems in the first place.

Unfortunately, you have a point.

HeilSvenska · 02-27-2007, 06:37 PM

But why did he buy it again if he couldn't save it the first time?