The US electric car manufacturer Tesla is grappling with an internal issue involving tens of thousands of missing coffee cups at its plant in Grünheide just outside Berlin, dpa has learnt.
Factory manager André Thierig addressed the matter at a staff meeting on Monday, saying that a total of 65,000 coffee cups have been unaccounted for.
He humorously remarked, "Statistically, each of you already has five Ikea coffee cups at home," according to a recording of the staff meeting cited by the Handelsblatt business newspaper on Wednesday.
Thierig clarified that his comment about the missing cups was not intended as an accusation.
He also discussed other topics at the meeting, including the introduction of a new gym for the approximately 12,000 employees.
Tesla had acquired numerous coffee cups for its employees over time, but it remains unclear where they have gradually disappeared to. This issue is not unique to Tesla and occurs in other companies as well. It is still undecided whether the cups will be replaced.
Due to the disappearance of cutlery from small kitchens at the plant, it is no longer provided there.
The car manufacturer has since introduced recyclable cups.
Tesla, led by US tech billionaire Elon Musk, opened its only electric car factory in Europe in Grünheide near Berlin more than two years ago. Production is expected to be expanded further, and an approval procedure has been initiated in the state of Brandenburg.