Porsche takes over toolmaking division of Kuka
Porsche is taking over the toolmaking division of Kuka Systems GmbH with locations in Schwarzenberg in the German state of Saxony and the Slovakian town Dubnica. Under the name of Porsche Werkzeugbau GmbH, the business unit with more than 600 employees will become a fully owned subsidiary of the Stuttgart-based sports car maker Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG. Kuka Systems GmbH belongs to Kuka AG, Augsburg, a world-leading supplier of robot-based automation systems. The takeover is still subject to approval under antitrust law.
“By taking over the toolmaking division, Porsche is making important moves for the sports car production of the future,” says Mr Matthias Müller, President of the Executive Board of Porsche AG. “From a strategic point of view, the integration is a major step for us. There is additionally a decades-long tradition of craftsmanship and technology linking our companies.”
Dr Oliver Blume, Member of the Executive Board – Production and Logistics at Porsche AG, explained the importance of toolmaking: “Innovative tool concepts are enabling us to implement the emotional design typical of Porsche with the maximum possible quality. The employees of our new subsidiary are distinguished by their very high level of expertise across every step of the toolmaking process. We are especially able to profit from this expertise in complex aluminium parts relevant to lightweight design,” said Oliver Blume.
“We are delighted to welcome more than 600 specialists into our Porsche family,” said Mr Uwe Hück, Chairman of the Group Works Council. “I can assure the new colleagues that Porsche – Executive Board and employee representatives together – will ensure that the jobs are safeguarded in the long term. That is what Porsche stands for and also what we stand for.”
The company from the Ore Mountains has a tradition that dates back over 100 years and high levels of expertise in the fields of method planning, engineering design, toolmaking and systems solutions for forming and cutting tools in the automotive sector.