VDL Nedcar in Born, Limburg, has been hit hard by the corona crisis. The factory that builds cars for BMW Group shares its sales figures for the first half year. These turn out to be considerably lower than last year.
The trade magazine AutomobielManagement reports that VDL Nedcar had a turnover of € 903 million in the first half of 2020. This means that the producer has considerably less turnover compared to a year earlier, when VDL Nedcar recorded a turnover of € 1.62 billion. The Limburgers therefore see their turnover almost halved. Despite all the problems in Born, the umbrella VDL Groep was still able to make a profit in the first six months. The net result came to € 25 million: last year the profit amounted to € 76 million.
Even before the crisis, VDL Nedcar was not happy, but because the factory had to close for six weeks after the outbreak of the corona virus, a large part of the turnover evaporated. Although the top of the company itself contradicts it, tough times are still coming for the Limburg company. The production of the BMW X1 may be removed from the Netherlands. The contract with the German car manufacturer expires in 2023. Nedcar is doing everything it can to extend the contract with Munich, but BMW has already made a decision, according to rumors. This may be partly because the next BMW X1 will have a fully electric powertrain. According to previous statements, the factory is already looking at other cooperation options to fill any gap.