▁plants ▁in ▁New ▁Zealand ▁during ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 0 s . ▁The ▁plants ▁had ▁belonged ▁to ▁General ▁Mot ors ▁ ▁from ▁ 1 9 2 6 ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁in ▁an ▁earlier ▁and ▁quite ▁separate ▁operation ▁from ▁G M ' s ▁Hold en ▁invest ment ▁in ▁Australia . ▁From ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁all ▁Australian - built ▁Hold en ▁vehicles ▁were ▁manufact ured ▁in ▁Elizabeth , ▁South ▁Australia , ▁and ▁engines ▁were ▁produced ▁at ▁the ▁Fish erm ans ▁B end ▁plant ▁in ▁Melbourne . ▁Histor ically , ▁production ▁or ▁assembly ▁plants ▁were ▁operated ▁in ▁all ▁main land ▁states ▁of ▁Australia . ▁The ▁cons olid ation ▁of ▁final ▁assembly ▁at ▁Elizabeth ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁but ▁some ▁assembly ▁operations ▁continued ▁at ▁D anden ong ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁ ▁Although ▁Hold en ' s ▁invol vement ▁in ▁exports ▁has ▁fl uct u ated ▁since ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁the ▁decl ining ▁sales ▁of ▁large ▁cars ▁in ▁Australia ▁led ▁the ▁company ▁to ▁look ▁to ▁international ▁mark ets ▁to ▁increase ▁profit ability . ▁From ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁Hold en ▁in cur red ▁losses ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁strong ▁Australian ▁doll ar , ▁and ▁redu ctions ▁of ▁government ▁gr ants ▁and ▁subs id ies . ▁This ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁announ cement , ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁that ▁Hold en ▁would ▁ce ase