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Volkswagen in Wolfsburg: Active production despite factory holidays!
Wolfsburg: 2025 factory holidays at Volkswagen from July 14th to August 1st. Some machines continue to run and modifications are planned.
Volkswagen in Wolfsburg: Active production despite factory holidays!
It's that time again in summer: Volkswagen's traditional works holiday takes place. This year, employees at the main plant in Wolfsburg can enjoy a well-deserved break from July 14th to August 1st. During the factory holiday, which was agreed upon at a works council meeting, the factory comes to a standstill while important renovations and maintenance work are carried out.
At first glance, you might think that all production facilities would be put into standby mode during this time. But that's not entirely true: Assembly Line 4 remains active and continues to produce models like the popular Tiguan and Tayron. Around 2,500 employees, including many holiday workers, also work there during their holidays. The gross hourly wage for these temporary workers is 16.71 euros, including allowances.
Active areas during company vacation
But it's not just assembly work that takes place: the machines also continue to run in the press shop, paint shop and other production areas. These additional activities help to minimize production losses during factory holidays. In particular, the approximately 400 employees who work on renovations and maintenance play a crucial role here.
An exciting facet of the company holiday is the fact that around a third of the employees on assembly line 4 are holiday workers, employed by the Volkswagen personnel service provider Autovision. Mandatory work that cannot generally be done by schoolchildren or students is carried out by regular temporary workers.
Critical situation in the automotive world
In 2023, the group was able to boast record sales of around 332.3 billion euros. But the changing market conditions, especially falling demand from China, are causing problems for the brand. A nearly 20% decline in sales to China in the second quarter of 2024 is alarming.
The situation also brings into play high labor costs, which are burdensome in European comparison. To remain competitive, cost reductions are necessary. High-ranking starting positions need to be addressed, as does dividend policy.
While the company vacation in Wolfsburg slows down the workforce for a short time, other areas—such as factory security, health care and the factory fire department—continue to work to ensure smooth operations during this phase. A recently published analysis makes it clear that Volkswagen urgently needs to find solutions to master the challenges of the future and secure jobs.
Overall, the company vacation in Wolfsburg is not only a time for relaxation, but also an important part of strategic planning for the coming years. The motto is the factory holiday of several weeks in the technologies of the future, even if the current trends in the automotive market leave some question marks.