Porsche 2011 Annual Report Download - page 74

Daily production of the Cayenne sporty off-
roader was stepped up repeatedly during the report-
ing period due to the high international demand and
has reached a maximum. In January 2012, at the
beginning of the new fiscal year, a third shift was
introduced in order to increase daily capacity. The
highly motivated and extremely flexible workforce
made a major contribution to mastering the many and
varied challenges. These included integrating a hybrid
drive into the sporty off-roader Cayenne, as this for-
ward-looking technology places entirely new demands
on production. The conversion did not affect the high
efficiency of assembly.
Porsche's Leipzig plant is regarded as one of
the most advanced car factories in the world. Lean
production principles are systematically applied at the
facility. The innovative assembly of an off-roader and
a luxury premium sedan in highly individual configura-
tions on a single production line is internationally
unique.
New 911: strong start in Stuttgart
The main plant in Zuffenhausen demon-
strated its efficiency yet again in the fiscal year 2011:
the integration of the new 911 into ongoing produc-
tion was a milestone. This once more expanded the
comprehensive mix of models produced on one line. In
addition to the complex production of numerous de-
rivatives of existing 911 models and the Boxster/
Cayman model series, Porsche has integrated its
new sports car into regular production at an early
stage. New production techniques and revised proc-
esses called for by the vehicle concept and the new,
intelligent aluminum-steel lightweight construction
were simultaneously implemented within existing
structures. Solid planning and preparation, thorough
employee training, precise coordination, a reliable
logistics concept and systematic realization ensured
that production of the new 911 got off to a success-
ful start.
Continuous improvement process
As part of the continuous improvement proc-
ess, Porsche is constantly working to further optimize
its efficient, high-quality production and guide it into a
successful future. The company receives guiding
impetus of great operational benefit directly from the
workforce: the teamwork concept involves all em-
ployees in actively shaping production processes and
leverages their expertise. Innovative ideas built on
practical experience can be rapidly evaluated via
short lines of communication and realized quickly as
well. This increases employees' influence and pre-
vents errors while promoting their identification with
the brand and with Porsche as an employer.
New paint shop
The new paint shop is another milestone in the
drive to modernize the Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen site and
ensure long-term job security at the company's head-
quarters. The facility was completed right on schedule
for the start of production of the new 911. The cutting-
edge environmentally friendly technology not only
means that Porsche is significantly below statutory
emissions thresholds, it also makes the company a
pioneer in the use of innovative technologies.
The 192-meter long and 58-meter wide paint
shop building is where the body shells of the Porsche
911 and Boxster/Cayman model series receive their
anti-corrosion protection, are painted and surface-
sealed in a multistage process. This is performed
precisely in sync with the sports car production proc-
ess as a whole. This makes Porsche even more effi-
cient, as the new paint shop increases the company's
flexibility on the one hand and is the basis for even
better fulfillment of the high quality standards on the
other.
The large-scale project, in which 200 million
euro was invested, replaces the 25-year-old former
facility. Internationally recognized companies delivered
the most up-to-date technology. For example, a com-
pletely new electrostatic paint shop droplet removal
system has been deployed for the first time. But Por-
sche also contributed innovative expertise. A wet-
GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT74