Audi in the crisis: US plant only with clear guarantees for Ingolstadt!

Audi in the crisis: US plant only with clear guarantees for Ingolstadt!

Ingolstadt, Deutschland - The future of Audi in Ingolstadt is currently a hot topic. At a recently held company meeting, Jörg Schlagbauer, the chairman of the Audi overall works council, commented on the possibility of a new work in the USA. He paid special attention to the conditions that would be necessary in order to receive the approval of the employee representative. "A new work must not be at the expense of employees and the occupancy rate in Germany," said Schlagbauer, and referred to the existing capacities that are sufficient in Germany. This point was also supported by the Augsburger Allgemeine, where there was currently no need for an additional production facility abroad.

The concerns about domestic jobs are not unfounded. Audi is currently fighting with declining sales figures and is confronted with criticism internally, especially at CEO Gernot Döllner and various internal conflicts. According to the Augsburger Allgemeine, a future agreement was made in March 2023, which provides for the dismantling of 7,500 positions in Germany. The job cuts only affect the indirect area, in particular administration - production remains unaffected by these measures.

important measures and developments

Rita Beck, the deputy chairman of the works council in Ingolstadt, reported on the progress of the future agreement received. She emphasized that important topics such as new early retirement and partnerships as well as planned investments are on the agenda. In the course of this agreement, the partial volume production of the Q3 is also brought to Ingolstadt, which contributes to strengthening the location. The start of production of the new E3 CUV electrical model is also planned for autumn 2026, which could provide a breath of fresh air.

The HR director of Audi AG, Xavier Ros, also gave an insight into the importance of the future agreement for competitiveness. The Audi top is planning investments in new technologies and the formation of its employees in order to create financial freedom. "Efficiency increases and reduction in bureaucracy are sought in order to be put up for the future," emphasized Ros. In order to communicate these topics transparently, company meetings take place four times a year to inform the workforce about current developments - in the sense of an open dialogue.

In addition, the employees have to be prepared for some changes. An employment guarantee is valid by 2033 and Schlagmauer expects 90% of the job cuts to be realized via partial retirement and early retirement regulations. There are special regulations for the years 1964 to 1968 that enable earlier retirement. Nevertheless, Audi does not plan any severance payments for voluntary departures, in contrast to some other automobile manufacturers, and this is perceived as a potential weak point.

All in all, it turns out that Audi is facing major challenges in Ingolstadt, but also uses opportunities to equip employees and locations for the future. The cooperation between the management and the works council will be decisive in the coming months in order to be mastered the upcoming changes. The situation remains exciting and it is to be hoped that the next steps can be designed positively for everyone involved. Further information on the latest topics and developments is regularly available on the Audi Mediacenter page.