Volkswagen aprueba su gran plan de ajuste: recortará 50.000 empleos y pone en duda el futuro de cuatro plantas alemanas

The Supervisory Board of Volkswagen Group unanimously approved the adjustment plan on Thursday to transform the company and enhance its efficiency and competitiveness, without specifying whether it would affect the Spanish brand Seat, the company announced in a statement. The group's "Future Plan 2030," which includes brands such as VW, Audi, Porsche, and Seat/Cupra, aims to eliminate another 50,000 jobs in the coming years.

Additionally, four Volkswagen plants are at risk in Germany: Emden, Zwickau, Hannover, and Neckarsulm. In response to increasing global competitive pressure, the need to adapt workforce capacities to the economic reality, and technological transformation in the automotive industry, it is essential to consistently adjust personnel capabilities to economic conditions.

The analysis forming the basis of the "Future Plan 2030" envisions a reduction of approximately 50,000 jobs across the entire Group, including executive positions, the company stated. It also noted that it is currently impossible to guarantee a competitive assignment for the four German plants from 2031 to 2034, but parallel and complementary alternative utilization possibilities will be studied.

The group emphasized that the "Future Plan 2030" creates the necessary conditions for Volkswagen Group and its brands to become more efficient, competitive, and future-oriented, without mentioning the Seat brand. The company stated that for European plants, a concept for a sustainable and competitive production structure must be developed before the end of June 2027, as there is a production capacity surplus of 500,000 vehicles in Europe within the Volkswagen Group.

The fate of the Spanish Seat brand remains undecided, following reports from WirtschaftsWoche that the Volkswagen Group intends to withdraw it from the market by late 2029. Executive Chairman Oliver Blume indicated that the Administrative Council will now, together with the brands, societies, and workers' representatives, implement the necessary measures.

He stated that in the coming years, the group will invest billions to make iconic brands even more attractive, strong, and competitive. Supervisory Board Chairman Hans Dieter Pütsch affirmed that the newly approved Future Plan demonstrates that the company's transformation is being driven with all its might. IG Metall union president Christiane Benner stressed that extensive work has been done to find suitable solutions in this crisis situation of the German automotive group.

The group's decisions must explicitly include the development of future scenarios for all plants. Daniela Cavallo, president of the Company Committee, stated that the Future Plan is necessary to successfully carry our group into the next decade without placing projects associated with it solely on employees. According to the group, this is the most extensive transformation program in the company's history, comprising twelve initiatives to make automotive brands even stronger and more competitive.

With a reduced vehicle lineup and simplified product complexity, the company aims to increase efficiency and scale economies through focused model selection, targeted technology, and western and eastern orientation in electronic systems, driver assistance, and software. The group envisions expanding its business in North America and China, focusing on the most profitable segments in North America and adapting to the growing market expectations in China while enhancing exports to the "Global South."

The financial target is an operating margin of 9% on sales by 2030, equivalent to an operating profit of approximately 31 billion euros, with 37 billion euros in general expenses and an investment objective of 135 billion euros in material assets, research, and development during the 2027-2031 planning period. The approval of this adjustment plan caused immediate reactions in the market, with Volkswagen ADR rising by 9.05% on Wall Street to $9.40.