Audi expands Neckarsulm site, opens new R8 production and logistics centre

Audi AG has inaugurated the Audi Böllinger farms in Heilbronn, which it says is an important step in the future and growth strategy of the site Neckarsulm. A logistics centre and the production of the Audi R8 in the industrial area Böllinger have farms – about six kilometres from the main plant in Neckarsulm – already started operations.

"Our home sites are our backbone, and the investment in the Audi Böllinger farms are a significant milestone for the Neckarsulm site," said Dr. Hubert Waltl, Head of Production at Audi AG. By 2018, the company invested a total of more than € 22 billion (Rs 170,984 crore) worldwide. More than half of Audi-investment flows in the German sites, including an average of more than € 650 million (Rs 5,051 crore) per year in the Neckarsulm site. "This extension relieves the work crucial because the increasing model variety and manufacturing complexity increasingly require more space," said Waltl further. 

With six models and 20 derivatives Neckarsulm is one of the plants with the greatest product variety and complexity throughout the Volkswagen Group. The site covers 23 acres, about one-quarter of the area of the plant in Neckarsulm. Norbert Rank, chairman Neckarsulm, says: "With the commissioning of Böllinger courts will give us the necessary flexibility to optimize the structures at the Neckarsulm site further. And we were able to combine central areas of quattro GmbH. We also create new jobs in our region. "

On the site of Audi Böllinger courtyards are among other things the new R8 workshop. Various manufacturing areas that were previously separated spatially at the factory in Neckarsulm, are now combined under one roof. Especially the pre-series and series production and quality assurance benefit from the quick and interdisciplinary networking. Thus, the Neckarsulm site increased its small batch competence. The newly created production area is through technological and ergonomic innovations more efficiently and flexibly usable. On August 25, the R8 production has begun in the Böllinger courts – just three weeks after the last R8 drove off the assembly line at the Neckarsulm plant.

Back in March, the new logistics centre started operations, with approximately 22,500 storage locations. The logistics centre is a central point for the material supply to production. Here, logistics experts suggest daily at approximately 4,500 containers. Flows of goods, which were conducted before the new building in five camps are now coordinated through a central office so that the transports could be reduced and the truck traffic be relocated from the city of Heilbronn in the industrial area. A further improvement is the GPS tracking of individual shipments between the logistics centre and the Neckarsulm plant. The innovative Live-Tracking allows a flexible adaptation of schedules to the traffic situation and also optimises the route guidance.