Audi’s Brussels plant is considering resuming production for the first time since early November, when the assembly line was halted.

The factory has remained largely inactive for several months due to a combination of internal and external factors. An internal strike followed the announcement of the plant’s impending closure, and operations were further delayed by a prolonged strike at a key supplier.

With the supplier strike now resolved, Audi Brussels is evaluating the possibility of restarting operations. "Our stance has always been clear—if all necessary parts are available, we will resume production," confirmed plant spokesman Peter D'hoore.

Preparing for a Restart

D'hoore indicated that early next week, the company will assess the availability of parts and discuss internally how and when production could temporarily resume.

However, any restart will be short-lived. The plant is slated to close permanently on February 28. Audi is grappling with overcapacity issues, and the Brussels facility has been deemed uncompetitive due to higher production costs compared to other Audi sites.

Industry analysts have cited Belgium’s high labor costs and the challenging location of the plant—situated between a residential area and a railway line in the Brussels district of Forest—as key reasons behind the closure. Photo by M Town Citizen, Wikimedia commons.