• History: from a simple assembly to the modern car factory
• Four manufacturing plants. Second place in the car production in Poland
• The biggest employer in Wielkopolska
• Win-win for the society of the city and the region
• The company celebrates its 25. Anniversary at the Municipal Stadium in Poznań

Poznań 6 September 2018 - Volkswagen Poznań has been there for a quarter century. Over the years the Company transformed itself from the vehicle assembly plant into an independent car factory and the biggest employer in Wielkopolska. The Company celebrates its anniversary together with employees, their families and partner companies at the Municipal Stadium in Poznań. 

History: from a simple assembly to the modern car factory.

For the past twenty-five years the production lines of Volkswagen Poznań were left by 16 different Volkswagen models. In the first years of operations the vehicles were assembled with the SKD system, which ensures the assembly of complete cars from finished large components.

The system was used in the production of i.a. the following models: Skoda Felicia, Fabia, Octavia, Volkswagen Passat, Bora and Polo. After 2003 the facility in Poznań was converted into an independent car factory. 

Jens Ocksen, President of the Board of Volkswagen Poznań and the member of the Board of Volkswagen Utility Vehicles brand, said: “I look with affection and pride at how Volkswagen Poznań has been developing over the past 25 years. We started from a simple assembly with the staff of 69 employees. The annual production of the facility was then 523 cars. Today our Company has 4 production plants manufactures 1170 vehicles per day. This development was made possible not only through investment in infrastructure and technology, but above all through investment in people. Without them never we would never reach the place we are now at."

Jacek Jaśkowiak, the Mayor of Poznań, said “The Company is undoubtedly one of the most important investors in Poznań and Wielkopolska.  Such enterprises have a huge impact on the local community. The benefits of employment and business relationships and the increase of the investment attractiveness of the city and the region are indeed priceless.”

Four manufacturing plants, second place in the car production in Poland.

The Volkswagen Poznań Company has now four production plants in three locations: in Poznań, Swarzędz and Września. In the last year the Company staff produced almost 240.000 light commercial vehicles: Caddy, Caddy Maxi, Transporter T6 and Crafter. In addition to the car production in Poznań, since 1996 a foundry has also been operating, where the annual production of components reaches near 4.6 million units. Since 2016 the facility in Września produces VW Crafter and TGE MAN models. With the volume of nearly a quarter million cars annually, Volkswagen Poznań ranks second in the car production in Poland.

The biggest employer in Wielkopolska.

After 25 years of operations Volkswagen Poznań employs more than 11.000 employees and is the biggest employer in Wielkopolska. Jolanta Musielak, member of the Board, HR and organization specialist, said: “over the last four years the employment in our facilities increased by 64%. We beat the employment records, but it also means that our responsibility as an employer is growing. We want to be not only be the biggest, but also the best employer.”

Volkswagen Poznań not only attracts new workers through their recruitment from the market. The Company actively educates future workers in cooperation with schools and universities. For thirteen years we have been working with School Complex No.1 in Swarzędz and for two years with the Complex of Technical Schools in Września on vocational training. Almost 400 pupils, nearly 90% of graduates, have been employed by our Company so far. The Company has also a strategic partnership with 5 universities in Poznań, i.a. with the Poznań University of Technology where the students on a dual training program have been educated for 5 years.

Jan Grabkowski, the starost of Poznań, said: “We have an automotive industry giant in our region. Due to the fact that the authorities of Volkswagen Poznań in their strategy saw the potential of local governments, the administrative district of Poznań runs umbrella school classes, where it educates specialists at the European level. Therefore, after completing education, highly qualified graduates are immediately employed at VW factories.”

Jacek Jaśkowiak, the Mayor or Poznań, said: “Cooperation with universities is essential to develop optimum solutions - not only technical in the automotive field, but also transport-related in a wider range. The initiatives taken by the company are the breeding grounds for new talents.”

Piotr Olbryś, the Chairman of OM NSZZ Solidarity in Volkswagen Poznań, said: “NSZZ Solidarity has been present in Volkswagen Poznań since the very beginning, representing workers from Tarpan and Volkswagen. After nearly 25 years of dialogue and negotiations we were trusted by more than 7.500 workers, thus we are not only a labour union, but also a representation of employees and which is fully responsible for and reflects the success of both workers and the Company.”

For the stability of employment, observance of the safety and health principles the Company was twice awarded the title of “Employee-friendly Company”.

Win-win for the society, the city and the region.

Marek Wozniak, Marshall of the Wielkopolskie voivodship, said: “This global Company and the leader of the automotive world values Wielopolska and its inhabitants, who co-generate its capital, multiplying the capital of the region. It's a win-win relation!” 

Zbigniew Hoffmann, the Voivode of Wielkopolska, said: “The economic development of Wielkopolska is influenced by a number of factors. Our voivodship has an extensive transport infrastructure, areas good for investments as well as effective and qualified inhabitants. Combining these elements with a good and reliable corporate employer is a guarantee of success. Therefore it is no coincidence, that Volkswagen Poznań is the biggest employer in our voivoidship and one of the biggest in Poland.”

Since the beginning of its activity, Volkswagen Poznań has invested around 2 billion Euro in their plants. Only in 2018 and 2019 the planned investments in new production halls, machinery and equipment will amount to nearly 500 million Euro. In June this year a foundation stone for the new logistics hall was laid down at the Poznań facility. At the same time the expansion of the existing welding hall is in progress. “The construction of the factory in Września is complete. Now we can focus on Antoninek”, said Jens Ocksen.

Volkswagen Poznań responds to the needs expressed by its neighbourhood. The total amount of funds intended for social involvement and charitable activities amounted to more than PLN 6.5 million. The funds enabled construction of a playground, a pitch, a kindergarten and for the purchase of ambulances for hospitals in Poznań. Today the flagship social program is the Small Engineer School that each year provides more and more schools from Wielkopolska with training equipment for the lessons of programming, automation and robotics from the earliest age.

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Company foundation, in Spring this year the employees planted symbolic 25.000 trees in the immediate vicinity of the plant in Antoninek. 

The company celebrates its 25. Anniversary at the Municipal Stadium in Poznań.

On 8 September main anniversary celebrations will be held at the Municipal Stadium in Poznań. On that day the workers of Volkswagen Poznań together with their families and friends but also business partners and companies were invited to join the celebration. During the Saturday evening performance an unusual multimedia show and a concert of Polish music stars are scheduled. Our guests will enjoy the music of 6 different artists, including Małgorzata Ostrowska, Oddział Zamknięty, Norbi, Czadoman, Grzegorz Hyży and Sound&Grace with Filip Lato, playing hits from the last 25 years.