Porsche Leipzig

The graceful dance of the 387 yellow robots extends as far as the eye can see. They twirl and spin on a 35,000-square-metre stage, and everywhere you look gleaming sheets of metal are being manoeuvred, moulded and combined. Welding sparks spit and fly, a new section is formed and the contours of a car gradually emerge, piece by piece. “Macan” is the Indonesian word for tiger and also the name of a compact utility vehicle manufactured in Leipzig by Porsche. In Leipzig, “highly qualified employees manufacture exceedingly complex products to Porsche’s exceptional quality standards,” says Dr Oliver Blume, the member of the Porsche Executive Board responsible for production.

When the decision was taken in March 2011 to produce a new compact SUV, Porsche also announced the expansion of the Leipzig factory to create a full-blown assembly plant. Some EUR 500 million was invested in adding a new body shop and paint shop, plus trebling production space to some 250,000 square metres. This level of investment clearly demonstrates the importance of the Leipzig plant for Porsche. The Chairman of the Porsche Executive Board, Matthias Müller, believes the company’s commitment to Leipzig also underlines its belief in Germany as a production location. “‘Made in Germany’ is a key criterion for Porsche and for our customers all over the world,” he says.