Holden said today that it is set to resume the second production shift of its Elizabeth plant in South Australia by November following its decision last year to reduce production and dump the two-shift production day scheme citing difficulties brought by the global financial crisis.

The company said that confidence in the car making industry has recovered and it is set to resume its four-cylinder production, as it announced that its best-selling Cruze model would start rolling out again by November, while the company's flagship Commodore VE series would hit the road in a few months.

Holden said that staff who were placed on alternating shifts last year would be returned to full employment status starting in November and the company is not ruling out the possibility that some amount of hiring would be implemented to beef up its existing rank of employees.

State Industry Minister Tom Koutsantonis hailed Holden' resurgence as an important event for SA's economy, stressing that "it is the heart and soul of South Australia, I mean we make Holdens and there's a massive components industry that goes alongside Holdens."

Mr Koutsantonis said that should its financial status further improved, Holden's logical next move is to reclaim its lost ground and re-conquer its share of international markets both in the United States and the Middle East.

He revealed that Holden is the recipient of up to $180 million of state and federal funding in order to get through the financial crisis last year.