Production at the Audi Brussels factory in Forest has come to a standstill due to a strike by subcontractor Imperial Logistics, leaving the plant without essential parts needed to assemble vehicles.
The German carmaker’s Forest plant, responsible for producing Audi Q8 e-tron models, was slated to continue operations until February 2025. However, the ongoing strike has halted production this week, underscoring the plant’s uncertain future as it prepares for closure early next year.
The stoppage in production highlights ongoing challenges for the 3,000 employees at Audi Brussels, who face redundancy when the site closes.
The strike, which began earlier this week, led to a partial restart on Monday, though production ceased entirely again by Tuesday.
An Audi Brussels spokesperson, Peter D’Hoore, confirmed that no vehicles would be assembled on Wednesday, leaving production lines idle as workers and subcontractors await further updates.
The labor dispute centers around Imperial Logistics, the primary subcontractor responsible for delivering parts to the Forest site. Around 300 employees of Imperial Logistics are striking, demanding a clearer social plan and certainty about redundancy conditions.
Despite other subcontractors already reaching social plan agreements with unions, negotiations with Imperial Logistics have stalled, adding to the mounting pressure on Audi Brussels’ operations.
The strike comes on the heels of an announcement in July by Audi Brussels, which revealed its restructuring plan due to a slowdown in demand for the electric Q8 e-tron models produced at the Forest facility.
This decision has raised questions about the viability of the site, which employs both factory workers and more than 1,000 subcontractor employees.
According to the Volkswagen Group, Audi’s parent company, no new models are expected to be produced at the Forest site, leaving the plant without a clear future.
Hopes for an alternative use for the facility were dashed after a prospective buyer’s offer was deemed unviable by Audi Brussels. This news has further dampened morale among workers, who were hopeful that a new investor could step in to secure jobs and prevent the site’s closure.
Audi Brussels management has committed to following the Renault Act, a Belgian legal framework that mandates a structured information and consultation process in cases of mass layoffs.
An extraordinary works council meeting is scheduled for 12 November, during which management will finalize discussions around the site’s closure and the redundancy process.
The abrupt halt in production due to the subcontractor strike illustrates the broader challenges facing the Forest site as it moves towards closure. With no viable buyer and production suspended, uncertainty looms large for the workforce.
The employees, many of whom have spent years at the facility, now face an unclear path forward, highlighting the impact of changing demand in the automotive industry on workers’ livelihoods.
As the consultation process continues, the Forest plant’s shutdown marks a significant transition for Audi Brussels and its workforce, casting a shadow over the future of automotive manufacturing in the region.
