CNV fears the end of Nedcar

VDL Nedcar has been making Minis for the BMW Group in recent years, but it canceled this contract in March. VDL has already resigned thousands of employees and still no new client has been found. Union leader Ed Leunissen says that hopes have recently been pinned on a possible job from an investment company from Abu Dhabi to build very expensive cars, but that will not happen, he says.

The news does not really come as a surprise to the association. “It took far too long before clarity finally came. The 435 people who were previously in a kind of standby mode received the news on Monday.” Leunissen explains that what remains in Born is the so-called Mobility Innovation Center (MIC). A lot of research work is done there. Several dozen people work at this part, according to the CNV employee. In addition, the industrial group VDL, the owner of the car factory, is moving other activities to Born, according to the association. “But entire cars are very unlikely to roll off the production line anymore.”

VDL Nedcar does not want to confirm the withdrawal of the Middle Eastern investor. “We never discuss processes about individual vehicle projects,” says a spokesperson. “As is known, we are in discussions with parties with whom we want to build a bridge to broader activities to develop Born into a broad partner in sustainable mobility. We hope to be able to provide more clarity about this in the coming period.”