Audi has announced it will close its Brussels production facility at the end of February 2025, marking the Volkswagen Group’s first European plant closure in decades.
The decision comes after a prolonged search for investors failed to yield a sustainable solution for the factory, which employs around 3,000 people and currently produces the Q8 e-tron and its Sportback variant.
The Brussels plant closure had been anticipated for months, as Audi cited site limitations and declining production volumes as key factors behind the decision. Built to produce 120,000 vehicles annually, the plant peaked with 47,900 units in 2022, followed by a further decline to 37,400 units in 2023.
With the Q8 e-tron’s successor set to be manufactured in Mexico, Audi confirmed that no new models would be allocated to Brussels. Efforts to find an investor or alternative purpose for the facility within the Volkswagen Group were unsuccessful, with Chief Operating Officer Gerd Walker stating that none of the 26 interested parties presented a viable future plan for the plant.
The ACV-CSC union expressed frustration, with union negotiator Ronny Liedts accusing Audi of prioritizing rapid closure over viable alternatives for the workforce. Audi had previously cited logistical constraints and lack of expansion options as obstacles to profitability, as the plant’s location near a railway line restricts expansion and the absence of an in-house body shop requires parts from other sites.
Source: automobilwoche.de
