Audi to invest heavily in Brussels plant

Car manufacturer Audi has plans to pump half a million euros into its plant in Forest, Brussels, over the next five years, the new CEO Patrick Danau told De Morgen and Het Laatste Nieuws.

Audi Brussels will invest in two new models, one to replace the current Audi A1, and possibly a new SUV Q3, although negotiations about the exact model are ongoing, Danau said in an interview. The investment could also allow for an increase in production, from 120,000 to 150,000 cars per year.

It is not yet clear whether the investment leaves room for more jobs. CEO Danau confirmed in the interview that high factory labour costs were restrictive, but is clear about the company’s future in Belgium. "The Audi plant in Forest will definitely still exist in ten years," he stated.