Lies Remains Critical of VW's Plant Closures

Lower Saxony’s Minister President Olaf Lies (SPD) continues to view potential plant closures at VW with skepticism. This is “not a solution for the future,” he told Deutschlandfunk. The size of the company is an opportunity. To call it into question “would be truly disastrous.” CEO Oliver Blume had previously described the company as “oversized.”

Lies also advocated capitalizing on growth potential, particularly in the e-mobility market. In addition, synergies between the group’s various brands could be improved. One must ask: “Do we perhaps have too much variability in terms of different vehicles and equipment?” Another possibility is production for the defense sector, to ensure capacity utilization at plants during certain phases.

VW CEO Blume plans to present concepts for the group’s future to the workforce today at special town hall meetings in Wolfsburg and Braunschweig.