No potential investor has been found at Audi Brussels with a viable plan for the car factory in Forest. Management announced this to the unions during a works council on Tuesday morning.
According to trade unionist Ronny Liedts (ACV-Metea), one candidate investor has emerged, with a plan to retain up to 1,500 employees, or about half of the current workforce at Audi Brussels. However, according to the management and the unions, that plan seems unclear and unviable.
Management was unable to provide the unions with any information about the identity of that possible investor. “We are disappointed,” says Liedts. “Although this was to be expected.” The potential investor will have another five days to clarify his plan.
According to Jan Baetens, secretary at ACV-Metea, the candidate investor could be the West Flemish entrepreneur Guido Dumarey. “Given the order of magnitude, everything points in that direction.” Baetens is also disappointed with the outcome of the search for investors for Audi Brussels. “But the fact that Goldman Sachs and KPMG were used for this and nothing came of it clearly shows how difficult the sector is today.”
Management: “The most important objective is to retain as many jobs as possible”
The management of Audi Brussels confirms that “there is currently no potential investor who has a comprehensive takeover concept for the employees in the Brussels branch in mind.”
“We have spoken to more than 20 potential investors so far and intensively analyzed their concepts for preserving the site and jobs,” says Peter D’hoore, head of communications at Audi Brussels. “What is important to us in the search for investors is that a potential investor can offer a viable and sustainable concept for the site and its staff.”
“Our main objective is to retain as many jobs as possible at the site in Brussels. That is why we have intensively examined the concepts of the investors, especially on this specific point. Unfortunately, there is currently no potential investor offering a concept that will secure employment on the site in the long term,” says D’hoore.
“At the same time, we respect the wishes of the social partners and are starting joint discussions today about a social plan. We will conduct these discussions honestly and take into account the interests of all parties involved,” D’hoore concludes.