Volkswagen mitigating provide chain points for minimal Wolfsburg stoppage
Volkswagen will minimize just one Golf manufacturing shift throughout the second half of January 2023, with provide chain conditions easing into the brand new yr from the place they’d been on the finish of 2022.
Regardless of studies Volkswagen could be making vital cuts in manufacturing at its Wolfsburg plant, when reached out to by Automotive Logistics the OEM stated that it anticipated the scenario for its Wolfsburg plant to enhance, as provide chain issues with semiconductors enhance.
A spokesperson for the Wolfsburg plant stated that just one manufacturing shift on the 2 Golf meeting strains in Wolfsburg could be cancelled. Each different meeting strains, for the Tiguan mannequin, would proceed to run as regular, that means solely one among ten shifts throughout the fortnight could be affected by the continuing shortages.
Another areas, past the Golf manufacturing line, such because the paint store, could be minorly affected however Volkswagen stated that the affect could be “very small.”
Employees on the plant have been communicated to concerning the manufacturing minimize and though no OEM needs to cancel a manufacturing shift, it was believed the scenario was enhancing in comparison with 2022 with no trigger for alarm over the shift cancellation.
The shift adjustment, VW stated, is because of suppliers being unable to offer some elements for, particularly, the Golf, together with airbags and rear-view cameras for reversing maneuvers. These issues had been because of the semiconductor scarcity that has dogged the automotive business since 2020.
Nonetheless, Volkswagen stated it believed there was hope for 2023 and that the semiconductor provide scenario is step by step easing, however it’s going to stay unstable. A VW spokesperson advised Automotive Logistics that it expects to see a “vital enchancment” over the course of the brand new yr.
Regardless of that, the automaker expects shortages of structural elements to proceed and for logistics to stay a problem within the foreseeable future.
