Volkswagen has opened its dismantling line at the Zwickau plant. From 2027, the new facility is expected to disassemble and recycle around 4,100 vehicles annually. Across the entire 'circular economy' business hub at the Zwickau site, an initial 100 jobs could eventually grow into 1,000 new positions.

Earlier this year, it was announced that the VW plant in Zwickau would be expanded to include a dismantling and recycling site for pre-series and end-of-life vehicles. True to their word, VW have now officially opened the facility, making the location the central competence centre for VW’s circular economy.

Following a nine-month conversion and approval phase, operations are set to begin in 2027. Initially, 4,100 vehicles per year will be dismantled on an eight-stage dismantling line under a two-shift system; an operation that will require 100 new employees. A collective agreement finalised in December 2024 also contains provision for up to 1,000 jobs to be added to the new circular economy business unit in the long-term.

Danny Auerswald, Spokesperson for the Management Board of Volkswagen Sachsen GmbH, said at the opening: “The team at the Zwickau site is tackling the task with determination. We have leveraged our expertise to utilise all synergies between vehicle manufacturing and vehicle dismantling in terms of equipment and process design. Short distances at the site, specialist expertise, and the workforce’s and region’s long-standing experience enable us to transition dismantling from a workshop setting to an efficient serial process.”

The concept consists of two value-added areas. On the one hand, components such as engines, transmissions, doors or bumpers are recovered for the spare parts business in the after-sales sector, inspected, refurbished and distributed through dealer networks and independent workshops to enable cost-effective repairs of older vehicles.

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