General Motors to close down Opel's Antwerp plant

General Motors will close Opel's manufacturing plant in the Belgian port city of Antwerp, sources said on Wednesday, closing the door firmly on the last remaining hopes for the site's 2,300 staff.                                           

GM has warned for weeks that the plant's future was in jeopardy, but the US carmaker had refrained until now from making a final decision.                                           

"They did not back down from the decision to close Antwerp. Now (Opel chief executive Nick) Reilly has announced that this would be implemented," a company source said.                                           

The Flemish regional government declined to comment.