China auto demand keeps holiday workers nimble

• Source: Global Times
• [08:21 November 26 2010]
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By Chen Xiaomin

Scrooge appears to be making Christmas less cheerful for some German autoworkers due to cuts in their holiday leave as companies like BMW, Mercedez-Benz, and Audi try to keep up with global demand.

Part of that demand may be China inspired, as it is BMW's 3rd largest market, Audi's second largest and Mercedes Benz's third largest market.

In China, the news is not much different, with autoworkers potentially putting in extra hours from now till Spring Festival. "Although (Volkswagen) staff are working extra hours, demand in China for some models still cannot be met," said Zhang Xiaojun, executive vice president of FAW-VW Audi sales division told the Global Times in an e-mail statement.

Daimler AG's Mercedes- Benz also confirmed that some of its facilities in Germany will remain in operation through the holidays.

This year's holidays for Mercedes-Benz plants in Germany will in fact be cut short compared with last year, a public relations official with the automaker told the Global Times Thursday. Mercedes Benz's E-class and S-class sedans are on the automaker's best-selling list among vehicles sold in China.

The wait for Mercedes CLK model in some parts of China can be upwards of three months at present.

Tight showroom supplies are also common with BMW and Porsche. China's premium auto market will see double-digit growth in 2010, Klaus Paur, former regional director of TNS Research International told the Global Times earlier this year.