Order From Volkswagen Worth Millions

2023 Author: Eric Donovan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 09:36

Karmann gets surprising help from Volkswagen. At the same time, there is speculation that the Wolfsburg-based company will join the insolvent car manufacturer.

Surprising help for Karmann: A multi-million dollar order from Volkswagen enabled the insolvent Osnabrück-based automaker to finance a transfer company for around 1,600 employees who had been dismissed. In industry circles, a corresponding report in the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung” was confirmed on Friday. VW awarded Karmann a development contract in the double-digit million range and paid in advance for it. Spokespeople from Karmann, Volkswagen and the IG Metall union did not want to comment on this.

Speculation about entry

A spokesman for the Lower Saxony State Chancellery said that the state government has had "closest contact" with the insolvency administrator and various automobile manufacturers since the beginning of the bankruptcy proceedings. The aim is to secure employment through development and production contracts and the financing of a transfer company. He added: "Instead of letting the Karmann insolvency administrator do his work in peace, individuals endanger his success and possibly further results by being talkative."

According to the newspaper report, there is speculation about VW joining Karmann. Volkswagen has been one of Karmann's largest customers over the past few decades.

1500 jobs planned

After weeks of negotiations, the creditors' committee approved the establishment of a transfer company at Karmann on Tuesday evening. The employees who were given notice by the company because of the abandonment of vehicle construction at the main plant in Osnabrück, as well as 300 employees who lose their jobs in the course of the insolvency proceedings, benefit from this.

Insolvency administrator Ottmar Hermann managed to secure 15.5 million euros for the transfer company at the “last second”, it said. Hermann wants to continue Karmann with around 1,500 employees.

Under time pressure

The affected employees are in the transfer company for six months, where they are to be further qualified for the job market. The negotiations about the company were under great pressure because it had to start work on July 1st. Otherwise the already terminated employees would have become unemployed without further cushioning.

IG Metall had sharply criticized the car maker Daimler. This had not paid bills to Karmann and thus blocked the establishment of the transfer company for a long time. The last Mercedes CLK convertible rolled off the assembly line in Osnabrück last week. This ended the more than one hundred year history of car manufacturing in Osnabrück.

Development of electric vehicles

In the future, Karmann wants to concentrate on convertible tops, toolmaking and electric vehicles. To this end, the company founded a new company, Karmann E-Mobil GmbH. The company announced on Friday.

The new company already has orders. Karmann wants to develop and market electric vehicles on its own. Among other things, the new company will be endowed with a high double-digit million amount. This is about the value of different groups of patents that Karmann has developed over time. According to the newspaper report, after the planned start of mass production in two years, at least 100,000 vehicles should roll off the assembly line within seven years. (dpa)