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QUOTES-Volkswagen CFO defends major cost-cutting strategies to staff in Germany

Volkswagen has one,. possibly 2 years to turn its main car brand name around, its finance. chief stated on Wednesday, as the auto giant weighs its firstever. plant closures in Germany and its powerful unions threaten a. fight.

Here are the essential quotes from Arno Antlitz, chief monetary. officer and chief operating officer at Volkswagen Group, in his. speech to staff at its Wolfsburg head office:

ON COSTS:

We have been spending more money at the brand than we earn. for a long time now. That doesn't go well in the long term. If we. carry on like this, we won't be successful in the improvement.

ON COMPETITORS:

Why has competition in Europe become intensified so much? One factor is the whole automobile market, i.e. the sales of. all makers. In Europe, 2 million fewer cars are. currently offered than before COVID.

Before COVID, around 16 million cars were bought in. Europe. During and after COVID, this figure was up to around 12. million cars due to the fact that the entire industry did not have enough. semiconductors.

The marketplace in Europe has recuperated ever since - however will. not go back to its former level. We anticipate around 14 million. vehicles to be sold each year 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 producer with. around a quarter of the market share in Europe. We lack. around 500,000 cars, the equivalent of around 2 plants.

Which has absolutely nothing to do with our items or bad sales. performance. The marketplace is merely no longer there.

EFFICIENCY:

It is our joint duty to enhance the expense. efficiency of the German websites in particular. We need to. increase performance and minimize expenses.

We still have a year, maybe 2 years, to turn things. around. But we have to use this time.

Concurrently, we need to minimize the complexity of our. processes and utilize much more group synergies.

(source: Reuters)