There is a fire on the roof of the VW Group. The closure of the Audi factory in Brussels has now been announced. The Ingolstadt-based company wants to close the site permanently in February 2025. Negotiations with a possible investor who would take over the factory are currently taking shape.
According to information from business circles, it concerns a manufacturer of commercial vehicles. At the same time, the working group on alternative applications for the plant will continue, a spokeswoman said on Tuesday.
In Brussels, 3,000 employees build just one model: the Q8 e-tron electric SUV, which is not exactly a blockbuster and has come under further pressure since the launch of more modern models such as the Q6 e-tron.
The Q8 e-tron (then simply called e-tron) marked the start of electric mobility for Audi in 2018 and was very successful worldwide for many years, but demand has recently collapsed. There has been discussion for some time about an early end to production – now the time will come on February 28, 2025.
The affected workers stand on the barricades and car tires were set on fire in front of the factory during protests. By stealing approximately 200 car keys, the employees wanted to put pressure on management.
One problem with Brussels is its location. Because the site is surrounded by a residential area, railway tracks and the highway, expansion is hardly possible. In addition, there are only a few suppliers nearby, which increases logistics costs.
And the parent company is currently closing factories anyway. So it doesn’t exactly make sense to start a new production in Brussels.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
