Europe's turnaround to take longer than U.S. rebound, Visteon CEO says
Reprints
Print
Respond
DETROIT (Reuters) -- The auto industry's turnaround efforts will take longer to gain traction in Europe than in the United States, where some companies were able to see the fruits of their plans within a year, Visteon CEO Tim Leuliette said.
The longer time frame partly stems from the fact that the severance pay required to lay off workers in some areas of Europe is higher than in the United States, Leuliette said in an interview yesterday.
Furthermore, companies have struggled to keep pace with the sharp, rapid deterioration in the economy as austerity measures and unemployment have hurt consumer spending.
"Everyone's trying to pin a tail on the donkey, but the donkey does move," Leuliette said, after the auto parts maker reported fourth-quarter earnings Thursday.
Europe is Visteon's second-largest source of revenue. Last year, Visteon said it would make cuts in Europe and close plants around the world to cope with slowing demand.
Last month, new vehicle registrations in Europe fell to 918,280, the slowest January since its records began in 1990, industry association ACEA said.
"As Europe continues to contract, you have to always be cognizant of making sure you have the right assets and the right employment base in line with that reality," Leuliette said. He added: "It typically is a multi-year payback to address restructuring in Europe."
Strong 2012
Visteon, former parts affiliate of Ford, reported a fourth-quarter net income of $39 million, reversing a loss of $26 million a year earlier.
Leuliette, who has been Visteon CEO since September, is in the midst of revamping the company in response to concerns from investors and directors that its presence in too many businesses is hurting its market value.
One of Leuliette's top priorities in 2013 is to divest the company's interiors business. He declined to discuss the sale process, but said many companies and strategic investors are exploring potential deals in the auto parts business.
"There's a whole group of people who believe Europe is the U.S. of '09 and '10 and are buying assets now or looking at assets now because the price is right," he said. "There are other people who see segments of the industry that still need consolidation."
The U.S. auto industry came to the brink of collapse in 2009 when the economic recession pushed General Motors and Chrysler to take federal bailouts to survive. Since then, the sector has rebounded.
Contact Automotive News
