The British petrochemical big Ineos has signed an settlement with Daimler to purchase the German automaker’s manufacturing facility in Hambach, France, the place it would construct the Grenadier 4×4 beginning on the finish of 2021, French media stories mentioned.

The businesses sealed the deal, which had been within the works since this summer season, on Monday, the stories mentioned, citing Good and union sources. Phrases weren’t disclosed, however Daimler will proceed to provide the Good ForTwo electrical minicar at Hambach till 2024 in addition to parts for Mercedes-Benz fashions, the stories mentioned.

The settlement will protect simply over 1,300 jobs on the website, the place about 800 individuals presently work in manufacturing and one other 800 for suppliers and in different assist positions.

Ineos is aiming for annual manufacturing of about 25,000 Grenadiers, a big SUV just like the body-on-frame Land Rover Defender 110 that was discontinued in 2016. Ineos groups plan to begin work on the website as early as January, Good and union representatives instructed the French web site Usine Nouvelle on Tuesday.

Unions on the manufacturing facility approved the sale a number of weeks in the past, regardless of issues concerning the sustainability of constructing a big internal-combustion engine car at a time when European emissions requirements proceed to tighten.

Ineos might flip to hydrogen energy sooner or later, nonetheless, because it lately signed an agreement with Hyundai to “discover the use” of Hyundai’s fuel cell technology in Grenadier autos.

The Hambach manufacturing facility, referred to as Smartville in France, was inaugurated in 1997 in a ceremony attended by President Jacques Chirac of France and Chancellor Helmut Kohl of Germany. Manufacturing reached a excessive of about 140,000 in 2008; in 2019 about 70,000 autos had been constructed there, in line with analysis firm Inovev.

Daimler mentioned this summer season that it will search a purchaser for the manufacturing facility as a part of a plan to cut back its industrial footprint. 

The Good model is dealing with an unsure future in Europe after Daimler mentioned final 12 months that may construct next-generation Good autos by way of a joint venture with Geely in China. The four-seater Good ForFour, a sibling mannequin of the Renault Twingo, is constructed at Renault Group’s manufacturing facility in Slovenia.

Daimler had invested about 500 million euros to arrange the Hambach website to construct bigger electrical autos for Mercedes-Benz such because the EQB crossover. A lot of that work has already been accomplished, together with a brand new physique store and a brand new paint store.

Ineos emerged as a potential buyer for the Hambach website this summer season. It was additionally mentioned to be taking a look at Nissan’s pickup manufacturing facility in Barcelona.