Audi Made By Belgium
Brussels, Belgium - Audi has begun production its five-door, hatchback, A3 Sportback in the former VW plant in Brussels.
The Ingolstadt-based VW unit said in a statement: "The new plant is one of Audi's requirements for achieving its strategic goal of building 1.5-million cars a year by 2015."
Beyond the A3 Sportback, the Brussels plant is scheduled to begin production of the smallest member of the Audi model range, the upcoming A1, at the end of 2009.
Audi said the plant's total output of the A3 and other models was expected to be about 84 000 units in 2007.
It added: "The production 'turntable' between Ingolstadt and Brussels will open up the possibility for further increasing flexibility between the two plants."
Audi also plans to use its smaller Neckarsulm plant to help shift production volumes of the next generation of its A4 mid-size car between plants, allowing the smaller German plant to pick up some of the work during demand peaks.
The Brussels plant was the scene of a bitter strike that began late last year and lasted for months after Volkswagen decided to cut thousands of jobs there.
Now three Audi A3 models painted in the black yellow and red of the Belgian flag black, yellow and red were prominently on display in what appeared to be a symbolic gesture designed to set aside any doubt as to the loyalty of the automaker to the plant and its some 2200 workers.
VW’s premium brand Audi will increase its capacity in the short term to one million units with the takeover of its parent group’s Forest plant in Brussels yesterday.
Audi took the occasion to announce that its model range would expand from 22 core variants today to 40 over the next decade, and that its sales target would be extended from last year’s 905,000 units to 1.5m. For the time being, Audi will transfer production of its A3 Sportback to Brussels from Ingolstadt. Production in Brussels this year will total around 84,000 units, with 2,200 workers retained.
Then, from late 2009, the Brussels plant will start making the forthcoming A1 supermini.
Audi will seek to conclude negotiations with unions at the plant over flexible working and other 20% labour cost reduction plans, which were required by VW in March in exchange for an undertaking to preserve jobs at the plant until 2009.
Audi AG, Volkswagen AG’s luxury division, took control of the namesake brand’s Brussels factory on Wednesday to add capacity for building the new A1 small car.
“Together we have found the best solution for Brussels,” Martin Winterkorn, Volkswagen CEO and former Audi leader, said at an event at the factory to mark the handover. “We are putting the plant into good and safe hands.”
Audi has begun making cars at the former Volkswagen factory in Brussels. VW Group bosses were joined by the Belgian prime minister for the changeover of marque which ends months of conflict. Worker went on strike over VW's plan to stop building the Golf there and cut thousands of jobs. An agreement was finally reached to keep the plant partially open making Audis.
Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt said: "It's good news not just for car assembly but also for the contractors, salesrooms and repair garages. It means there's a promising future, especially for the workers of Audi in Brussels." The plant got a reprieve with an agreement to reduce labour costs by 20%. Under the deal the production line work week will be extended from 35 to 38 hours with no extra pay.
Union representative Jan van der Poorter said: "The workers have very mixed feelings because on one hand we've had to negotiate cut backs and then there's this celebration going on. I understand the reason why and we're getting some of the Volkswagen production replaced by Audi, but the way this is being done, the workers don't like it much."
In return for the longer work week, VW has given promises of job security, keeping the plant open in the future to build a new model the Audi A1. Production will start at the end of 2009.
The Ingolstadt-based VW unit said in a statement: "The new plant is one of Audi's requirements for achieving its strategic goal of building 1.5-million cars a year by 2015."
Beyond the A3 Sportback, the Brussels plant is scheduled to begin production of the smallest member of the Audi model range, the upcoming A1, at the end of 2009.
Audi said the plant's total output of the A3 and other models was expected to be about 84 000 units in 2007.
It added: "The production 'turntable' between Ingolstadt and Brussels will open up the possibility for further increasing flexibility between the two plants."
Audi also plans to use its smaller Neckarsulm plant to help shift production volumes of the next generation of its A4 mid-size car between plants, allowing the smaller German plant to pick up some of the work during demand peaks.
The Brussels plant was the scene of a bitter strike that began late last year and lasted for months after Volkswagen decided to cut thousands of jobs there.
Now three Audi A3 models painted in the black yellow and red of the Belgian flag black, yellow and red were prominently on display in what appeared to be a symbolic gesture designed to set aside any doubt as to the loyalty of the automaker to the plant and its some 2200 workers.
VW’s premium brand Audi will increase its capacity in the short term to one million units with the takeover of its parent group’s Forest plant in Brussels yesterday.
Audi took the occasion to announce that its model range would expand from 22 core variants today to 40 over the next decade, and that its sales target would be extended from last year’s 905,000 units to 1.5m. For the time being, Audi will transfer production of its A3 Sportback to Brussels from Ingolstadt. Production in Brussels this year will total around 84,000 units, with 2,200 workers retained.
Then, from late 2009, the Brussels plant will start making the forthcoming A1 supermini.
Audi will seek to conclude negotiations with unions at the plant over flexible working and other 20% labour cost reduction plans, which were required by VW in March in exchange for an undertaking to preserve jobs at the plant until 2009.
Audi AG, Volkswagen AG’s luxury division, took control of the namesake brand’s Brussels factory on Wednesday to add capacity for building the new A1 small car.
“Together we have found the best solution for Brussels,” Martin Winterkorn, Volkswagen CEO and former Audi leader, said at an event at the factory to mark the handover. “We are putting the plant into good and safe hands.”
Audi has begun making cars at the former Volkswagen factory in Brussels. VW Group bosses were joined by the Belgian prime minister for the changeover of marque which ends months of conflict. Worker went on strike over VW's plan to stop building the Golf there and cut thousands of jobs. An agreement was finally reached to keep the plant partially open making Audis.
Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt said: "It's good news not just for car assembly but also for the contractors, salesrooms and repair garages. It means there's a promising future, especially for the workers of Audi in Brussels." The plant got a reprieve with an agreement to reduce labour costs by 20%. Under the deal the production line work week will be extended from 35 to 38 hours with no extra pay.
Union representative Jan van der Poorter said: "The workers have very mixed feelings because on one hand we've had to negotiate cut backs and then there's this celebration going on. I understand the reason why and we're getting some of the Volkswagen production replaced by Audi, but the way this is being done, the workers don't like it much."
In return for the longer work week, VW has given promises of job security, keeping the plant open in the future to build a new model the Audi A1. Production will start at the end of 2009.