Volkswagen’s global truck plant turns eighteen

kscarbel2 · November 3, 2014

Press Release / November 1, 2014

Volkswagen Group’s Resende commercial truck plant in Brazil is marking its 18th anniversary.

Production of VW light, medium and heavy trucks, and bus chassis, moved into the then-new facility in 1996.

Located just south of the coastal city of Rio de Janeiro, Resende began with 200 employees producing one truck per day. Today the plant employs over 5,000 people and is Resende’s largest private employer. VW commercial trucks are the market leader in Brazil, with over 680,000 units produced to date.

Over the last 18 years, VW Group has continually reinvested in its commercial truck product and manufacturing capabilities. By 2017, the value will have reached US$1.6 billion, contributing to the enrichment of the region’s technological and economic growth.

The plant has revolutionized the economy of Resende, generating employment and income. VW Group is responsible today for 65 percent of the municipal tax collections, what if reverts in direct improvements for the population on issues such as health and education.

"Our size and growth in Resende has served to attract additional major vehicle manufacturers and supporting suppliers to the area. Our success in Resende over the last 18 years is very much due to the high quality local talent. We thus feel a very close relationship with Resende and region," says Roberto Cortes, president of VW Group’s VW truck-producing subsidiary MAN Latin America.

The Resende plant has grown significantly over the years to allow the company to now produce 106 models of trucks and buses for both the Brazilian domestic and global markets. Originally 90,000 square meters in size, the facility has grown to nearly 180,000 square meters, including final assembly, the logistics center, supplier area and modifications center*. Another 20,000 square meters was just added in 2013 to place axle/suspension supplier Meritor and suspension supplier Suspensys within the complex.

Resende was historically the world’s first vehicle assembly plant to locate suppliers within the facility. The now common practice is known in VW-speak as Modular Consortium, an arrangement in which each supplier assembles their module and provides on-line assembly of their module onto the vehicle. Suppliers have full responsibility for their assembly cells, from purchasing to inventory control, tool maintenance, quality, worker safety, wages and labor grievances.

Production consists of eight modules including cab shell, painting, engine, cab grooming, wheels and tires, chassis and suspension.

Cab shell AKC Aethra http://www.aethra.com.br/

Painting Carese http://www.eisenmann.com/en/about-EISENMANN/at-a-glance/locations/brazil-pt/build-operate-transfer-models.html

Engine MAN / Cummins

Cab grooming Continental http://www.conti-online.com/www/automotive_br_pt/themes/commercial_vehicles/

Wheels and tires Remon

Chassis Maxion http://www.maxionsc.com/contagem/?lang=en

Axles and suspension Meritor http://www.meritor.com/customer/southamerica/sa_products.aspx

Suspension Suspensys http://www.suspensys.com.br/en

Overall product quality control is the full responsibility of VW Group subsidiary MAN Latin America.

Over the years, the production system at Resende has received significant technological updates including to 3D prototyping, scanners, laser cutting machines and a voice-commanded logistics system.

In addition, a MAN of Resende Latin America maintains a manufacturing operation in the city of Querétaro, in Mexico, where it assembles Volkswagen-branded products for the local market.