I think this is his baby. He has been fighting for it for ten years. I can't imagine that it will be easy for him, especially since responsible politicians will also be sitting there.
So it can only be very important for business. He certainly doesn't take a vacation. As a CEO of a customer, I wouldn't send my head of purchasing to the opening, but a project manager. The one who makes decisions does not only make the one and a failure for two days can not afford every company. So MT has to go to this head himself, I guess.
I stir the rumor mill or my imagination:
VW has secured cobalt and nickel (not voluntarily in China/Indonesia I think), so the raw materials for the cathode are complete.
And last year they said that:
""We are all in a race. It's about making the most affordable cells, and you need scale to do that," said Thomas Schmall, Volkswagen's chief technology officer. Direct control over the supply of raw materials, which include
graphite, cobalt and nickel,
is also important to get a better handle on the financial aspect, Schmall added: "80 percent of cell costs are determined by raw materials.""
Would be at least more important than a champagne to the opening. Of course, they should not take us over but cooperation and funding, why not.
Or maybe MT is invited to a dinner in Brussels, that could be worth 200m. Who knows.