Lage bei VW laut Konzernchef "mehr als kritisch", entscheidende Woche steht bevor

After the summer break, Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume described the situation at the world's largest automaker as "more than critical" in an interview published on the company's intranet. While the group remained operational, Blume emphasized the urgent need for action. He pointed out that the company's current operating profit margin of 3.8% was solid but far from sufficient for funding new technologies, products, and sites long-term.

Previous cost-cutting measures, including a 20% average reduction in factory expenses in German plants last year, were still insufficient.

Blume highlighted that the company was "overdimensioned," which often made it slow and complicated. He had previously announced plans for a new "2030 goal" for the group, including tightening the cost-cutting effort. In just a few weeks, Blume aimed to have his package of measures approved before the summer break. Since then, nine works councils have been scheduled to meet in cities such as Hannover, Braunschweig, Salzgitter, Dresden, Chemnitz, and Kassel-Baunatal between August 25th and August 31st to address the management.

The meeting in Wolfsburg took place on August 26th, followed by meetings in Emden and Zwickau, with the final session in Hannover on August 31st.

Regarding the factories in Emden, Hannover, Zwickau, and Neckarsulm, Blume reiterated that no competitive positioning for the 2030s had been identified. He clarified that the absence of a successor assignment does not equal a plant closure. Blume emphasized that "plant closures are always the most expensive and last resort." If no solution is found for a site, the responsibility remains with VW.

If all efforts prove inadequate, Blume advocated creating new perspectives with partners, investors, and industrial solutions. He clarified that the frequently mentioned figure of 50,000 at-risk jobs was not a fixed target but rather an indication of the extent of the urgent action required.