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FinanceVolkswagen Board Resolves to End Production at Four German Sites by 2034
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According to a media report citing Wirtschaftswoche, the Volkswagen Board has unanimously passed a resolution to phase out production at four German plants: Emden and Zwickau by 2031, Hanover by 2032, and Neckarsulm by 2034. The decision is based on a document titled 'Report on the Concept Resolution of the Supervisory Board, September 3/4, 2026,' which states that existing business models and structures are insufficient to ensure long-term competitiveness and profitability. VW declined to comment on internal documents. The company is in crisis, with CEO Oliver Blume announcing further savings efforts and suggesting 50,000 job cuts, half in Germany. CFO Arno Antlitz noted that due to cost differences compared to other European plants, there is no economic replacement for the four German sites when current products run out in the early 2030s. IG Metall chief Christiane Benner accused Blume of errors and announced resistance at the upcoming Supervisory Board meeting. The Board may implement the closures without Supervisory Board approval, as plant closures are not among transactions requiring approval under the group's statutes.
Source report
View of the signage at the VW plant in Emden. Source: Lars Penning/dpa
According to a media report, the Volkswagen Board has unanimously passed a resolution on the timeline for ending production at four German sites. The plants in Emden, Hanover, Zwickau, and Neckarsulm are affected, with competitiveness and profitability said to be no longer guaranteed.
Production End Dates
As reported by Wirtschaftswoche on Tuesday, citing a document prepared for the Supervisory Board:
- Emden and Zwickau: Production to end in 2031
- Hanover: Production to end in 2032
- Neckarsulm: Production to end in 2034
The magazine reports that the Board can implement the "running down of plants" without approval from the Supervisory Board.
Supervisory Board Document
According to Wirtschaftswoche, the document is intended to prepare the Supervisory Board's decision at the end of this week. The paper, titled "Report on the Concept Resolution of the Supervisory Board, September 3/4, 2026," states that existing business models and structures are no longer sufficient "to ensure the long-term competitiveness and profitability of the Volkswagen Group."
The document further notes that the Board has "unanimously resolved the concept presented under item 3 for the comprehensive transformation of the Volkswagen Group in the sense of a concept resolution." Item 3 specifies the end-of-production dates for the four plants.
Volkswagen's Response
Volkswagen declined to comment on the report. A spokesperson told the AFP news agency: "We ask for understanding that we do not comment on internal documents. These are discussed and approved in the relevant committees. We do not preempt this process."
Broader Crisis and Job Cuts
Volkswagen, like other German car manufacturers, is facing a crisis. CEO Oliver Blume has announced further savings efforts and suggested an additional 50,000 job cuts and plant closures, half of them in Germany.
Last week and on Monday, a series of works meetings were held at Volkswagen. During these meetings:
- CFO Arno Antlitz stated in Hanover: "Due to the large cost differences compared to other European plants, from today's perspective, we have no economic replacement for four German sites when the current products run out at the beginning of the 2030s."
- CEO Oliver Blume expressed similar sentiments in Emden.
Union Response
IG Metall chief Christiane Benner accused Blume of massive errors in dealing with the workforce. By announcing plant closures, Benner told the Augsburger Allgemeine on Tuesday, Blume is positioning himself against works agreements and the company's historical responsibility. The union leader announced determined resistance at the Supervisory Board meeting planned for Friday.
Legal Context
According to the media report, the Board could implement the running down of plants without Supervisory Board approval. The end of production, per the group's statutes, is not among the transactions requiring approval—only the "establishment and relocation of production sites" falls under that category, Wirtschaftswoche reported, citing high-ranking insiders who confirmed this interpretation.
Source: AFP/doli
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