Skoda gains additional capacity, gets India-like Group responsibility for Russia and N Africa

Skoda Auto is to gain additional capacity within the Volkswagen Group’s production network. By relocating the manufacture of the next-generation Superb sedan from the Czech plant in Kvasiny to Bratislava in Slovakia, Skoda Auto will free up the capacity in the Czech Republic required for the brand’s plans for growth.

The extra capacity will be used to build additional units of the Skoda Kodiaq and Karoq SUVs and for another Skoda model. The next generation Kodiaq would continue to be produced in Kvasiny. The development of the next-generation Superb will remain in the Czech Republic too.

Like India 2.0, Skoda to drive growth in Russia, North Africa
Meanwhile, following the India example, Skoda Auto has now also been given responsibility for Russia and North Africa. The company says that “due to the India 2.0 project, Skoda Auto has a wealth of experience in developing emerging car markets.”

Skoda Auto CEO Thomas Schafer, said: “We welcome the decisions on the Group’s planning regarding plant occupancy. It will provide us with the additional capacity in the Czech Republic that Skoda so urgently needs for growth. We have thus set the course for our brand’s expansion while remaining highly profitable. I think it’s an important sign that Skoda will also be assuming even more responsibility within Volkswagen Group. In addition to the region of India, we will also be managing the growth markets in Russia and North Africa. The fact that we’ve been entrusted with these tasks highlights the level of trust that Volkswagen Group’s management places in the expertise of the Skoda team.”

Skoda has been looking for additional production capacity for some time now. Relocating the manufacture of the next-gen Superb from Kvasiny to Bratislava in 2023 will enable the Czech carmaker to grow further. The relocation has been brought about by what the Group refers to as ‘plant occupancy planning’. The concept defines at Group level which models are built in which plant. In addition to ‘moving’ the Superb to Bratislava, the plan also sets out that production of the brand’s highly profitable flagship SUV, the Kodiaq, and its successor will remain in Kvasiny.

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