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QUOTES-Volkswagen CFO protects major cost-cutting strategies to personnel in Germany

Volkswagen has one,. perhaps 2 years to turn its primary automobile brand name around, its finance. chief stated on Wednesday, as the vehicle giant weighs its firstever. plant closures in Germany and its powerful unions threaten a. battle.

Here are the crucial quotes from Arno Antlitz, primary financial. officer and chief operating officer at Volkswagen Group, in his. speech to personnel at its Wolfsburg head office:

ON COSTS:

We have actually been spending more money at the brand name than we make. for some time now. That does not work out in the long term. If we. carry on like this, we won't prosper in the change.

ON COMPETITION:

Why has competitors in Europe become magnified so much? One factor is the whole vehicle market, i.e. the sales of. all producers. In Europe, 2 million fewer automobiles are. currently sold than before COVID.

Before COVID, around 16 million automobiles were purchased in. Europe. During and after COVID, this figure fell to around 12. million vehicles since the entire industry did not have enough. semiconductors.

The market in Europe has actually recuperated ever since - however will. not return to its former level. We expect around 14 million. cars to be offered annually in the future, if at all.

So there is a shortage of around 2 million systems.

VW'S FUNCTION IN EUROPE:

We (Volkswagen Group) are the biggest manufacturer with. around a quarter of the marketplace share in Europe. We are short of. around 500,000 automobiles, the equivalent of around 2 plants.

And that has absolutely nothing to do with our products or poor sales. efficiency. The marketplace is just no longer there.

PRODUCTIVITY:

It is our joint obligation to improve the cost. effectiveness of the German sites in particular. We require to. boost performance and reduce expenses.

We still have a year, maybe two years, to turn things. around. But we have to make use of this time.

All at once, we require to decrease the intricacy of our. procedures and utilize a lot more group synergies.

(source: Reuters)