Audi 2006 Annual Report Download - page 84

SOCIETY: LEBENSHILFE INGOLSTADT
PHOTO: AUDI
82 AUDI 2006 ANNUAL REPORT
Left to right: Petra Ekert,
Hubert Geß (Technical Director
of the Lebenshilfe workshops,
Ingolstadt), Christa Stewens
(Bavarian Welfare Minister),
Stephan Grühsem (Head
of Audi Communication),
Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn,
Peter Mosch (Chairman of
the General Works Council of
AUDI AG), Dr. Alfred Lehmann
(Mayor of Ingolstadt).
Where aid makes economic sense
Workshops for the disabled in Ingolstadt
September 6th, 2006
Venue: the Lebenshilfe workshop for
the disabled, Ingolstadt. “You pull the
gear lever knob through the leather
gaiter and place it on the press here.”
The arm of the device is lowered, and
with a clunk the two parts are pressed
together. Petra Ekert proudly presents
the assembled gear knob assembly to
her visitors, her eyes sparkling with
delight. Today is a special day for the
713 workers at the Lebenshilfe work-
shops in Ingolstadt. Bavaria’s Welfare
Minister Christa Stewens, Audi boss
Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn (until De-
cember 31, 2006) and Chairman of
Audi’s General Works Council Peter
Mosch are visiting the establishment to
launch the “Role Reversal” initiative of
“Forum Soziales Bayern”. Now it’s the
turn of Audi’s Board Chairman to take a
place at the machine, with Petra Ekert
looking over his shoulderand following
every movement of the experienced
engineer, while interjecting how impor-
tant it is to have the knob aligned prop-
erly. She is clearly delighted as Winter-
korn applies his autograph to the fin-
ished gear knob assembly and presents
it to her. “You are doing a tremendous
job!”, he remarks after his “induction”.
Christa Stewens and Peter Mosch like-
wise try out swapping roles with the
machinist and add their praise of the
well-structured working processes.
When touring the Lebenshilfe work-
shops, one thing becomes clear to the
visitors: every single worker is highly
motivated, one hundred percent com-
mitted and performs top-quality work.
Franz Penzenstadler, who is assem-
bling shock absorbers for the Audi A4,
proudly explains that the establish-
ment has received top ratings from
Audi for its logistics and quality. This
places the Lebenshilfe workshops
among those suppliers capable of
satisfying the most exacting quality
requirements set by Audi.
Audi’s association with Lebenshilfe
dates back to the establishment of the
latter in Ingolstadt in 1979, and it sup-
ports this partnership with donations
by the workforce. The three workshops
in and around Ingolstadt offer disabled
people a differentiated working envi-
ronment that can accommodate their
individual levels of disability. Audi is
the largest customer, providing indus-
trial assembly work for 450 employees.
Around 14,000 shock absorbers for the
Audi A4 are assembled at computer-
controlled screwing stations and deliv-
ered just in time to the Audi production
halls. Some 10,000 gear lever trims are
in addition sewn and assembled each
week for the Audi A3, A4 and A6 models.
November 15th, 2006
Petra Ekert is excited. Expectantly, she
and twelve colleagues take their seats in
the AUDI AG film theatre. Today is a spe-
cial day for her – and for Audi, her host.
Three delegations from the Lebenshilfe
workshops are paying a return visit to
Audi. Plant Manager Frank Dreves
(Audi Member of the Board of Manage-
ment for Production since February 1,
2007) greets his visitors in person.
At last they have the opportunity to
witness at first hand in a tour of the
factory how the shock absorbers are
installed on the car, how the gear lever
trims are fitted, and how the compo-
nents that they have machined are
transformed into a car! And yet again,
Petra Ekert’s eyes are gleaming. She is
looking forward to tomorrow – and her
work at the Lebenshilfe workshops. A
reliable supplier for Audi, a depend-
able source of work for the Lebenshilfe
workshops: the perfect ingredients of
a successful partnership.