PR | Volkswagen Group Logistics: A Cornerstone of the Group

2016: More than 5 million vehicles and about 75 million m³ of production material shipped for Europe and exports

Image Attribute: More than 1,000 Volkswagen Beetles and Jettas recently arrived at the Port of San Diego’s National City Marine Terminal, demonstrating the potential of regularly scheduled service for car shipments coming from Mexico. / Source: Port of San Diego Website / Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

In 2016, Volkswagen Group Logistics played a key role in achieving the good delivery figures of the Group. All in all, 5.2 million vehicles for Europe and exports were handled and dispatched. In addition to vehicle transport, Together with the Group plants, Volkswagen Group Logistics also ensures that materials are supplied precisely as required. In 2016, international shipments of production materials totaled about 74.5 million m³.

"We can look back on a good year in logistics; we have achieved a lot both in operations and in strategic terms. We have handled more than 5 million vehicles for the Group in Europe. And we have defined new fields of action for the realignment of logistics to meet future requirements together with the brands," said Thomas Zernechel, Head of Volkswagen Group Logistics.

Volkswagen Group Logistics is responsible for the cross-brand planning and management of material and vehicle logistics processes along the value stream or delivery chain. The main challenge in logistics is to pool the shipping volumes of the Group within a network of about 8,500 suppliers, 69 components plants, 72 vehicle plants and 153 sales markets.

In 2016, Group Logistics once again ensured that 5.2 million vehicles produced were shipped to their destinations according to schedule – by land, sea, via rail, truck, and ship. By sea, about 2.5 million vehicles were shipped in more than 8,700 consignments.

Material logistics, another key business area of Volkswagen Group Logistics, played a key role in the positive overall picture last year. All in all, 74.5 million m3 of production materials were shipped to the production plants precisely in accordance with requirements – most of these goods were delivered within the European production network. Overseas consignments of vehicle parts and components for plants outside Europe accounted for about 1.4 million m³.

In 2016, many cross-brand synergy effects were created and expanded together with all 12 brands in the logistics sector. In addition to the establishment of logistics facilities at the new locations of San José Chiapa/Audi Mexico and Wrzesnia/Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Poland, the Group Consolidation Center (KCC) was opened in Bratislava (Slovakia). A cross-brand packaging plant was initiated for the Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, and Audi brands. Furthermore, 10,000 additional parking spaces for international vehicle logistics were created at Autoport Emden. 

In 2017, Volkswagen Group Logistics is focusing on the new topics. These include logistics support for the development of new business areas, new logistics concepts for vehicles with alternative powertrains, the updating of logistics standards and the autonomous movement of materials and vehicles. The digital transformation of logistics, the associated transformation of skills and know-how transfer are further fields of action.