The end of an era: Van Eupen closes car dealerships in Essen!

The end of an era: Van Eupen closes car dealerships in Essen!

The van Eupen car dealer family, a well-known face in Essen, is facing a decisive turn in its more than 200-year history. Autowelt van Eupen, which has been operating as “van Eupen Kraftfahrzeug-Vertriebsgesellschaft” since 1920, is planning to close its two locations in Essen-Kray and Mülheim-Speldorf. Managing director Michael Speh explained that the new contract from Opel, which had supplied van Eupens for many years, no longer offered any future prospects. This means that around 100 jobs are at risk, which represents a serious challenge for the affected employees.

The history of the van Eupen family goes back to 1800, when the first representative from Eupen came to Essen. The family originally ran stagecoaches and rented horses to local colliery barons. The company has steadily developed from these roots and has been an integral part of the transport industry in the Ruhr area. The car dealership in Kray, which has been closed since 2020, marks the end of an era for the family that has left a lasting mark on the region.

The future of Opel

The closure of the branches is not only a setback for van Eupens, but also sheds light on the current situation of the Opel brand. The traditional brand, founded in 1862 by Adam Opel, will celebrate its 125th anniversary in automobile manufacturing in 2024. After several changes of ownership, most recently to the Stellantis Group in 2021, Opel now has new goals. From 2028, the brand plans to offer exclusively electric vehicles, which clearly underlines the change in the automotive industry.

Nevertheless, Opel has suffered a decline in jobs in recent years. In the last two decades, almost 30,000 jobs have been cut in Rüsselsheim. While Opel generated sales of 18 billion euros in 2019, its market share in Europe is around 5%. The sale to Stellantis represents a new opportunity, but the challenges remain, especially for traders like van Eupens who are suffering from current market developments.

The challenge for the employees

According to information from Autohaus, socially acceptable solutions are currently being sought together with the employees. A date for the final closure of the locations is still pending. The upcoming changes will affect many families in the region. The van Eupens have done a lot for economic development in Essen over the years, but now the company faces an uncertain future.

Overall, the situation at Autowelt van Eupen is an impressive example of the challenges that traditional family businesses face in a rapidly changing industry. The long tradition in the automotive industry and the history of van Eupen are part of the heritage of the Ruhr area, and it remains to be hoped that the remaining employees will soon find a new way to gain a foothold in these uncertain times. The van Eupens achieved a lot and their history is closely linked to the development of Essen.

For further information on this topic, you can find more about van Eupens here and details on the background to the closure. You can also find a historical overview of Opel here.