The 13-hectare site is located in the vicinity of Porsche’s Leipzig plant. The pair intend to drive the ‘flexibilisation and digitalisation’ of body part manufacturing in Halle. Their joint venture, Smart Press Shop GmbH & Co.KG, is investing over € 100 million in this project, which is expected to create 100 permanent jobs. Construction work is due to commence in the second half of 2019. Production at the new press shop is expected to begin in 2021.
Albrecht Reimold, member of the executive board for production and logistics at Porsche AG, said: “Our joint venture marks a further major step into the future of sports car manufacturing. At the same time, we will be reducing our production-related CO2 emissions, thanks to significantly shorter logistics routes. This also brings us closer to our goal of the ‘Zero Impact Factory’, a production facility without any impact on the environment.”
Domenico Iacovelli, CEO of Schuler AG, explained: “Our main focus is the cooperation with Porsche – an important premium customer for us with very exacting standards. At the same time, however, we regard the joint construction and operation of the Smart Press Shop as a project that will enable us to raise production efficiency and the digitalisation of important process steps in car manufacturing to a new level for forming technology. Ultimately, other customers of Schuler will also benefit from this project.”
