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France’'s most important refinery has increased its production to maximum levels in order to protect national energy security.

TotalEnergies builds its Gonfreville plant to ensure the domestic market is well supplied in terms of diesel and kerosene %It operates at 100 capacity and France is actively trying to protect ’ from the volatility seen in the global oil transition.

According to company reports, this move is a direct response to the growing difficulty of obtaining refined products from abroad due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The refinery, located near Le Havre, is a vital artery for the French economy, processing about 250,000 barrels of crude oil every day.

TotalEnergies is also trying to prevent potential shortages that could result from tankers being removed from the Suez Canal ’ by operating the plant at full capacity.

Now many ships have to go around the Cape of Good Hope; This is a winding road that adds thousands of miles and several weeks to delivery schedules, consequently narrowing fuel availability across Europe.

Industry observers point out that the focus on medium distillates, especially diesel and jet fuel, is a calculated effort to support the logistics and aviation sectors. These industries are particularly vulnerable to price increases and supply disruptions.

According to energy analysts, the Gonfreville refinery is now the primary bulwark against inflationary pressures caused by these global logistical barriers.

Reducing the risks of a changing global supply chain

TotalEnergies gives priority to the domestic refinery France, reducing ’'s dependence on unstable sea routes.

The strategy is not only about volume, but also a move that will stabilize prices for French consumers, who are constantly facing uncertainty at the gas station.

But maintaining such high performance requires significant operational coordination. According to the company, each unit in the expanding industrial complex is used to ensure that the refining process is as efficient as possible.

This includes the optimization of distillation towers and catalytic crackers to obtain the highest possible percentage from high-demand fuels.

The aim is to create an adequate buffer in national stocks by providing a safety net in case international conditions get worse.

Despite the heavy workload, the company said safety and environmental standards remain an absolute priority. The increase in activity is closely monitored by regulators to ensure that the facility operates within permitted limits.

The output from the Gonfreville’ remains a critical component of the country's industrial resilience at this time of increasing geopolitical risks in France.

Declining operating profit, lower dividends and slightly increased sales revenue were among the announcements made by the struggling German automaker VW’ in its latest earnings report for 2024.

Volkswagen’ operating profit 2023According to ’ %It fell by 15 to 19.1 billion euros.

The negative result was partly due to the fixed costs, which rose to 2.6 billion Euro’, a large part of which was spent on restructuring.

VW, 2024’te %The operating margin reached 5.9’ this year %With a 5.5 %He expects it to be between 6.5.

Volkswagen Group CFO’su and COO’su Arno Antlitz said in a statement, "In a competitive environment with “Zorlu, we have achieved a good overall financial performance in 2024’.

The parent company of major European brands, including Porsche, Lamborghini= and Skoda’, has sold 9 million vehicles worldwide; This is according to the previous year. %That's a 3.5% drop. The company recorded growth in South America’, but this did not fully compensate for the decline in China’. Meanwhile, North American and European car sales in ’ remained stable.

The group's sales revenue compared to the previous year under the influence of the financial services business %With a slight increase of 1%, it reached 324.7 billion Euro’. VW, sales revenue 2025’te %It expects 5 to go up, which sends a message to investors that the worst can be left behind.

The automaker is struggling to keep its business profitable due to high energy prices and other production costs, cheaper Chinese competition, emissions-related regulations, and geopolitical tensions.

In December, VW announced that it would lay off about 35,000 people in ’da, Germany, by 2030 as part of its restructuring plan.

According to the earnings report, the Board of Directors and the Supervisory Board will issue dividends of EUR 6.30 per ordinary share of ’a and EUR 6.36 per preferred share of ’a in 2023. %He's offering 30 cuts.

Investors reacted slightly positively to Volkswagen AG’'s 2024 results; Share price in the first hour after trading on Frankfurt’ %Increased by more than 2’.

What does VW 2025’te aim for?

Group CEO Oliver Blume stated that VW’ aims to increase productivity and profitability in 2025, adding that VW’ wants to be the global automotive technology driver ’ by 2030.

But the automaker acknowledges that the challenges stem from political uncertainty, rising trade restrictions and geopolitical tensions.

Volkswagen AG is also preparing for tighter requirements related to increased competitiveness, unstable commodity, energy and foreign exchange markets, and emissions.

Antlitz, “, said that we keep combustion engines technologically competitive, invest in electric models and software at the same time, and continue to strengthen our regional presence with a clear growth and investment strategy in the USA’.

Antlitz, “, said the current outlook does not include possible effects from the indirect introduction or adjustment of commercial tariffs ” or “ from the possible easing of CO2 regulations in ’.