10/2018

ŠKODA Mobil - newsletter, October 2018.

• Page 1

  10 2018

  WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF DATA

  WE HAVE THE LARGEST CORPORATE

  DATA CENTRE IN THE COUNTRY

  PAGE 6

  REINFORCEMENTS FOR PUNE

  NEW TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

  OFINDIA2.0PROJECT

  PAGE 10

  SCALA MEANS A STEP FORWARD

  NEW COMPACT MODEL IS PACKED WITH

  STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY

  PAGE 8

  ŠKODA AS A MODERN

  MOBILITY PROVIDER AT

  THE PARIS MOTOR SHOW

  PAGE 4

• Page 2

  PRESTIGIOUS RECOGNITION

  FOR BERNHARD MAIER

  1

  On 1 October, the Automotive News

  Europe magazine presented the

  Eurostar 2018 Award for CEO of the Year

  in Automotive Industry to Bernhard Maier

  for the carmaker’s steady and dynamic

  development. The editorial team under

  -

  scored the rise in global ŠKODA sales and

  long-term strategic steering of the compa

  -

  ny. “This exceptional achievement repre-

  sents the work of all 36,000 Škodovians

  who do an excellent job every day, making

  a critical contribution to the strength of the

  ŠKODA brand. This award is an immense

  motivation for all of us and for me person

  -

  ally to continue in the direction we’ve been

  going”, Maier said.

  SEDRIC AUTONOMOUS CAR

  INMLADÁ BOLESLAV FOR THE

  FIRST TIME

  2

  GQZ and the Quality Academy

  organised a second AutoUni Day. On

  this occasion, instructors from the AutoUni

  institute presented ŠKODA employees with

  technological innovations currently being

  developed by Volkswagen, which will have a

  huge impact on ŠKODA AUTO’s future.

  Among others, the technology introduced

  included autonomous steering, and the topic

  of digital world and social media was

  discussed as one of the factors in decision

  making for a new generation of prospective

  customers. In connection with the prepara

  -

  tions for EV production, some of the

  presentations were dedicated to the new

  high-voltage battery production process,

  which will be located in the new Excellence

  Centre in VW Salzgitter. The event, which

  presented both the SEDRIC autonomous

  concept model and the VISION E concept

  car, was attended by 270 enthusiasts from

  all ŠKODA plants, including apprentices.

  FAST CHARGING POINTS

  FOR EVS

  3

  Representatives from ŠKODA AUTO,

  ŠKO-ENERGO and the municipal

  administration opened a new supercharg

  -

  ing point in Mladá Boleslav. Located near

  the D10 motorway that connects Prague

  with Liberec, it provides charging with

  both AC and DC current. Thanks to its

  high charging power of 50 kW, the EV

  

  -

  -

  -

  er, drivers can recharge three EVs with

  

  As part of preparations for a new stage of

  mobility, ŠKODA AUTO launched the

  largest investment programme in its

  history. In the upcoming years, it will

  invest 2 billion EUR in electromobility and

  new related services. At the same time, the

  company supports the construction of

  national EV charging infrastructure.

  MEMORANDUM OF URBAN

  MOBILITY SERVICES

  DEVELOPMENT

  4

  ŠKODA AUTO, the City of Prague and

  the Faculty of Transport CTU have

  joined forces to turn their vision of sustaina

  -

  ble urban mobility into reality. A key role in

  the process is played by electromobility and

  mobility digital services, as well as new

  models of shared economy or data exchange

  between cars and infrastructure. The

  partners signed the document in Prague in

  September. HoppyGo carsharing company

  has become a part of the My Prague app. “By

  signing the memorandum, we take further

  important steps on our way from car

  manufacturer to a Simply Clever company

  

  

  2025”, commented Bernhard Maier.

  MOST ATTRACTIVE EMPLOYER

  FOR THE FIFTH TIME

  5

  Our company defended its position

  in the employer attractiveness

  survey for students of technical pro

  -

  grammes. The survey, conducted by the

  

  company also appeals to future econo

  -

  mists and IT students. Scoring second

  among students of economics, we

  recorded a great result with IT programme

  

  leaders. Respondents included over 10,000

  students and graduates from 25 universi

  -

  ties and colleges. “The results of the

  

  for a job at ŠKODA. Especially the

  noticeable shift in our image with IT

  students is pleasing, as we are able to

  

  projects”, said Bohdan Wojnar, Board

  Member for HR Management.

  CARSHARING UNIQWAY

  LAUNCHES OPERATION

  6

  Following a successful test stage,

  the all-European carsharing platform

  for students has entered regular daily

  operation. From now on, the platform

  created by the carmaker and the ŠKODA

  AUTO DigiLab will be fully available to

  students and teachers at the CTU,

  University of Economics and the Czech

  University of Life Sciences. The basic car

  rental rate combines the used time and

  mileage. After free registration, the app

  makes it possible to locate and book the

  cars.

  LAURIN & KLEMENT AWARD

  FOR STUDENTS

  7

  Students writing their bachelor’s or

  diploma thesis under the patronage

  of ŠKODA AUTO can now get extra

  recognition for their hard work. This year,

  the carmaker decided to present the

  

  the author of the best thesis will receive a

  bonus of 80,000 CZK and a VIP entrance

  to an event such as the Tour de France,

  with runners-up receiving 30,000 CZK

  each. If the winner or runner-up starts

  working for ŠKODA AUTO within three

  months after graduating and continues

  this employment for at least one year, he/

  she will receive double the amount. The

  

  

  2018/19. Thesis statements, full informa

  -

  tion and rules are available at www.

  skoda-kariera.cz.

  DRIVING QUALITY

  INTO THE FUTURE

  8

  At the beginning of October, under

  the aegis of Frank Schreier, ŠKODA

  AUTO Head of Quality Management, an

  international meeting of quality managers

  from the foreign production plants took

  place. The main motto was “Driving

  quality into the future…”, and its focus

  was the future of quality in the segment of

  conventional and alternative drives and

  digital topics. All the guests in attendance

  appreciated the presentation of the

  cooperating robot for assembling mecha

  -

  tronics, as well as assist systems, connec-

  tivity, the new outlook on data from the

  Chy-Stat app and analyses in the DQ200.

  They were also captivated by an interest

  -

  ing ŠKODA AUTO DigiLab lecture and

  visit to the digital factory in Vrchlabí.

  18 %

  EVEN WITH THE

  DOWNTURN OF THE

  OVERAL MARKET IN

  CHINA IN SEPTEMBER,

  THE SALES ARE STILL

  AT THE SAME LEVEL AS

  THEY WERE LAST YEAR

  IN A YEAR-TO-YEAR

  COMPARISON,ŠKODA

  AUTO INCREASED

  ITS DELIVERIES

  BY37611(18 %).

  94,800

  TOTAL NUMBER OF

  VEHICLES SOLD IN

  SEPTEMBER 2018

  RESULT FROM LAST YEAR’S FIRST THREE QUARTERS SURPASSED AGAIN

  

  delivered a total of 939,100 cars to its custom

  -

  ers around the world, beating its record from

  the same period last year by 7.8 percent. In

  September, global sales reached 94,800 cars, a

  year-on-year drop of 16 percent. The cause of

  September’s slight dip in customer deliveries

  in Europe is the current transfer of all model

  series to the new WLTP testing cycle, applica

  -

  

  however, is that the brand grew in Russia

  (+34.3%) and continued last year’s success in

  

  three quarters of this year, we managed to de

  -

  liver 940,000 cars worldwide, far exceeding last

  year’s numbers. At the beginning of October,

  we introduced attractive new versions of our

  SUVs at the Paris Motor Show, including the

  KODIAQ RS, KODIAQ SCOUT and SPORT

  -

  LINE. That means we are pushing ahead with

  our SUV strategy”, said Alain Favey, Board

  Member for Sales and Marketing.

  500000

  THE JUBILEE 500,000TH

  CAR MANUFACTURED FOR

  THE CZECH MARKET, THE

  ŠKODA OCTAVIA AMBITION

  1.6 TDI/85KW, WAS HANDED

  OVER AT THE MLADÁ

  BOLESLAV CUSTOMER

  CENTRE TO DANIEL SZMITZEK

  FROM THE KARLOVY VARY

  REGION.

  1000000

  THE 1-MILLIONTH CAR OF

  2018, A MOON WHITE ŠKODA

  FABIA 1.0 TSI, ROLLED DOWN

  THE PRODUCTION LINE IN

  MLADÁ BOLESLAV.

  250000

  THE 250,000TH KODIAQ

  ROLLED DOWN THE

  PRODUCTION LINE IN

  KVASINY. IT TOOK ŠKODA’S

  FIRST LARGE SUV ONLY

  TWO YEARS TO REACH THIS

  PRODUCTION MILESTONE.

  AROUND THE WORLD

  ŠKODA CAR SALES IN SELECTED COUNTRIES IN SEPTEMBER 2018

  COMPARED WITH SEPTEMBER 2017

  FLIGHT THROUGH THE ŠKODA WORLD

  2 ŠKODA MOBIL OCTOBER 2018

  Spain  18 %

  Czech Republic  13 %

  Italy  12 %

  India  9 %

  Belgium  9 %

  China → 0 %

  Poland  7 %

  Russia  34 %

• Page 3

  OCTOBER 2018 ŠKODA MOBIL 3

  876

  2

  3

  1

  4

  5

• Page 4

  SPORTY AND DIGITAL

  FUTURE

  ŠKODA INTRODUCES ITSELF AS A MODERN AND ECOLOGY-FOCUSED

  MOBILITY PROVIDER AT PARIS MOTOR SHOW

  A

  n integral element of the ŠKODA

  

  -

  al transition from car manufacturer

  

  

  the brand’s programme at the traditional Par-

  is Motor Show, which took place between

  

  Look into the future

  Apart from the world premieres of the VI-

  SION RS study, the fast SUV KAROQ RS

  and other model versions, the exhibition

  also offered its visitors an outlook on sys

  -

  tems connecting drivers with the outside

  world and services that will make transpor-

  tation more comfortable. Hybrid drive, eco-

  logical materials and cutting-edge technol-

  ogies come together in the new VISION RS

  concept car. The authors

  of the study were think

  -

  ing of both driving expe-

  rience and environmen-

  tal consciousness. “The

  VISION RS uses plug-in hy-

  

  kW engine, complemented

  

  -

  lows the concept to go up

  

  power alone and ultimately with zero emis-

  sions on short-distance drives. What’s best,

  though, is that the electromotor enables the

  highest torque from zero revolutions”, noted

  

  launch. “The VISION RS shows what mod-

  els from the RS family could look like in the

  future. As you know, our concepts suggest

  the design of future models

  for series production, in par-

  ticular regarding external de-

  sign”, he added.

  Emotional news

  The ŠKODA KODIAQ RS,

  another novelty introduced

  in Paris, will soon go into

  

  SUV to have the RS logo is

  driven by the most powerful series-produced

  diesel engine in the brand’s history, boasting

  

  already before the world premiere in Paris on

  the Nordschleife track in Nürburgring, with a

  -

  er SUV category. A dynamic, sporty look is

  characteristic of the KAROQ SPORTLINE

  

  compact SUV is exclusively on sale with a

  

  

  more adventurous KAROQ SCOUT offers

  

  -

  bust design. The silver plastic parts around

  the car protect the elegant body equally well

  -

  BI G-TEC has a new, ecological and more

  

  

  

  emissions,

  zero soot and considerably fewer NO

  X

  com-

  pounds than the petrol version.

  Visitors to the ŠKODA stand in Paris had

  a chance to discover new services that will

  add a fresh dimension to their travels. One

  of them is the Alexa voice assistant by Ama-

  

  The carmaker gave

  visitors to the motor

  show a sneak peek at

  both the digital world

  and the future design

  language of the ŠKODA

  brand.

  PARIS MOTOR SHOW 2018

  1

  4 ŠKODA MOBIL OCTOBER 2018

• Page 5

  be available in Spanish. The ŠKODA Con-

  nect Alexa Skill app gives the driver infor-

  mation about the car, even from a distance.

  From the comfort of their home, they can

  find out whether the car’s door and win

  -

  dows are closed, how much petrol there is

  left in the tank and where the can be locat-

  ed. By integrating the Smart Home system,

  they will even be able to monitor their home

  from far away via a connection with the

  ŠKODA car. Drivers have control over the in-

  dividual smart home devices and can check

  

  and the windows closed. The increasing

  

  -

  er-growing clientele a flexible means of

  transportation, as a responsive car can be

  booked fast and comfortably via the smart-

  phone app. RED

  Hunting for

  spies

  The first days of a motor show

  have a traditional ritual about

  them. Industrial spies can be rec-

  ognised quite easily because they

  are interested in things that a

  common visitor does not even

  notice. They take pictures of de-

  tails, touch materials, examine

  and carefully fill out long forms.

  Even designers from automo-

  tive companies do spy work by

  checking on the competition.

  They do an in-depth study of

  solutions that catch their atten-

  tion and analyse the new model

  of the competition in the devel-

  opment centre.

  PARIS 2018

  ON SOCIAL

  NETWORKS

  Jiří Knor

  ŠKODA is

  blossoming into beauty.

  Happy for them.

  (11.10.2018)

  Miško Hayo

  Truly beautiful design. A real

  hit.

  (12. 10. 2018)

  Monika Petrláková

  Tomášová

  Turned out nicely, keep

  up the good work.

  (12. 10. 2018)

  jiri.varvarovsky

  Wow, that’s the

  best!

  _martin.rudolf_

  A sweet car

  UX EXHIBIT

  For the first time ever the ŠKODA stand

  featured a UX exhibition (UX stands for

  “user experience”), where visitors had the

  chance to explore ŠKODA’s new digital

  solutions & mobility services regarding their

  own personal needs (top). First, the visitor

  created his/her own avatar and selected

  three personal characteristics (centre).

  With this information, the visitor could

  experience automatically proposed digital

  solutions from ŠKODA according to their

  individual needs (bottom). In the future

  your car will remotely open the garage

  door for your, smart home will notify you in

  advance of the need to refuel, or plan the

  fastest route for you by combining several

  means of transport and buy you a ticket

  right away. Services as trunk delivery will

  also be provided.

  944961

  PEOPLE VISITED THE CAR SHOWROOM

  2242

  METRES SQUARED - THE SURFACE AREA OF

  THE ŠKODA EXHIBITION STAND

  15

  MODELS ON DISPLAY

  845

  AVATARS WERE CREATED BY THE

  VISITORS

  6

  8

  7

  1

  The VISION RS concept oers

  elements made of vegan material

  2

  Friendly hostesses took care of the

  visitors of the ŠKODA exhibition stand

  3

  The brand is proudly associated with

  its cycling tradition

  4

  The car showroom is also all about

  the brand's vision, which oers room

  fordiscussion

  5

  It took 18 days to build the ŠKODA

  stand and one week to take it apart

  6

  The black painted elements enhance

  the appearance of the KAROQ

  SPORTLINE

  7

  The sports features of the KODIAQ

  RS are emphasized by its specific design

  8

  The OCTAVIA COMBI G-TEC can go

  480km on one full tank of natural gas

  2

  3 4

  5

  OCTOBER 2018 ŠKODA MOBIL 5

• Page 6

  WELCOME TO

  THE WORLD OF DATA

  ŠKODA AUTO IS ONE OF LEADING IT COMPANIES IN CZECH REPUBLIC

  T

  he future of technological de-

  velopment can be summed

  up in one word: digitisation.

  Data volumes are growing at an ex-

  ponential rate, and computing power

  is going through the roof. Big data,

  

  reality, connected cars and autono-

  mous drive – all of that is endorsed

  by digitisation, which connects in-

  dustrial areas and opens new busi-

  ness opportunities. As Klaus-Dieter

  Schürmann, Board Member for Fi-

  nance and IT, mentioned at the gala

  opening of the expanded data cen-

  tre, the brand is undergoing a trans-

  formation from a “mere” carmaker

  to a modern mobility service pro

  -

  vider. New technologies allow us

  to design all components on com

  -

  puters, employees use virtual reali-

  ty to master new tools and handling

  parts, and the digital lab is devel-

  oping brand-new customer servic-

  es and solutions. Computing tech-

  nology has become integral to the

  whole process of preparing a new

  

  -

  -

  come part of production processes,

  technological procedures, produc

  -

  tion simulation, logistics and ware-

  houses and predictive maintenance.

  It is obvious that increasing comput-

  ing power and storage capacity is a

  necessary step.

   and two

  -

  ployee base, the data centre grew

  

  -

  est corporate computing and data

  centre in the Czech Republic takes

  . The power it current

  -

  

  (computing operations per second);

  

  petaFLOPS. The capacity will pro

  -

  vide for demanding computing oper-

  ations thanks in part to water/glycol

  server cooling. The waste heat will

  

  power supply sources are able to en-

  sure operations for several days. The

  total power supply of the data cen-

  

  

  The data centre is based on

  a modular solution and can eas

  -

  ily be expanded in the future.

  ŠTĚPÁN VORLÍČEK

  TECHNOLOGY

  IN THE

  INTERNALS

  OFA GIANT

  WE ASKED IT INFRASTRUCTURE

  COORDINATOR JOSEF SASKA,

  WHO TAKES CARE OF THE DATA

  CENTRE, FOR SOME INTERESTING

  DETAILS CENTRUM NA STAROSTI

  How many employees ensure the

  operation of the data centre and how?

  In terms of personnel being present, the

  centre doesn’t really have to be attended

  to. We facilitate its operation and monitor-

  ing remotely. One colleague coordinates

  construction and development, while an-

  other is responsible for running technol-

  ogies. We cooperate with many external

  partners, too. Operation is supervised

  by Watch Centre employees around the

  clock. Another group of experts conducts

  -

  works and cooling technologies. All sys-

  tems are operated so that we always have

  a backup solution.

  Which operation “consumes”

  more capacity – production or

  development?

  From the viewpoint of disc capacity, it is

  half-and-half. In terms of power, technical

  development prevails by far.

  How do you ensure data centre

  safety?

  The centre is located in a stable area

  

  danger of other natural disasters, which

  is one of the key prerequisites. From the

  viewpoint of physical safety, the build-

  ing in the area is protected by a concrete

  fence, and entry is only permitted to a

  limited number of people with an MFA

  card. Another level of security at the en-

  trance is provided by biometric authen-

  

  Data security also consists of several lev-

  

  data encryption.

  How important is extending the centre

  for the carmaker’s future?

  We are already processing huge volumes

  of data about our products and custom-

  ers, too. With digitisation underway, their

  volume is about to grow. Expanding the

  centre required numerous requests and

  capacities related, among others, to dig-

  itisation projects and new customer ser-

  vices. Today, using the ŠKODA Connect

  app, you can locate your car remotely,

  check the tank, lock it, send in a route

  planned in the comfort of your home, etc.

  ŠKODA Click allows you to order a car,

  lock and unlock it with your phone. None

  of this would be possible without the in-

  ternet, connection, data centre, etc. Given

  the required processing speed, data secu

  -

  rity and other risks, we can’t – nor do we

  want to – rely on external sources. RED

  Glossary

  Byte – a basic unit used

  in informatics to express

  digital data volume

  Megabyte (MB) –

  1 million bytes

  (floppy disc – photo)

  Gigabyte (GB) –

  1 billion bytes

  (DVD, film)

  Terabyte (TB) –

  1 trillion bytes

  (local computer disk)

  Petabyte (PB) –

  1,000 terabytes

  (storage space for

  approx. 250,000 DVD

  films)

  Rack – standardised

  case for servers, network

  elements, backup

  sources, etc.

  15

  QUADRILLION

  COMPUTING

  OPERATIONS

  PER SECOND

  6500

  SERVERS

  SAVED IN

  500RACKS

  210

  KILOMETRES OF

  CABLE LAID

  4200

  CUBIC METRES OF

  COOLING LIQUID

  FLOWS THROUGH

  PER HOUR

  100

  PETABYTES

  IS THE

  STORAGE

  CAPACITY

  6 ŠKODA MOBIL OCTOBER 2018

  About the data

  centre...

  JAN DRBOHLAV

  FIV – SYSTEM

  INTEGRATION,

  SALES AND

  MARKETING

  Every two years, the

  computing power and the

  data volume double, which is why we

  designed the data centre with the

  next 20 years in mind. End-customer

  data is about to grow immensely.

  Today, there are fewer than 1 million

  connected cars on the roads. This

  figure roughly corresponds to the

  number of cars we produce every

  year. Since all of them will soon be

  connected, we can expect 10 million

  owners within 10 years. If one car is

  used by four people, we need to plan

  for four customer accounts per car.

  PETR REŠL

  FIB – SYSTEM

  INTEGRATION OF

  MGMT ORDERS,

  PRODUCTION

  The data centre represents

  five years of my life and is an

  immense joy because water-cooled

  servers for high-performance

  computations are every geek’s dream

  come true. They will enable our

  colleagues from Technical

  Development to conduct more tests,

  simulations and virtual tests so that

  we can produce our cars faster. The

  project was brought to life by the

  ŠKODA IT team, who now competes

  with companies like Microsoft, IBM

  and Google, searching for and hiring

  professionals. With our new

  technology, we are able to oer even

  better prospects to experts.

  GÖTZ ULRICH

  FIO – IT SERVICES

  Thanks to the new data

  centre, we can provide our

  colleagues with modern, high-

  performance servers that we were

  not able to install in the current data

  centre. We needed a brand-new

  infrastructure for water cooling. This

  is a cutting-edge centre for the

  whole VW Group.

• Page 7

  T

  he change of corpora-

  te culture at Volksw-

  agen is in full swing

  and involves not only the

  VW brand in Wolfsburg but

  also all the other brands and

  plants around the world.

  The code of coopera-

  tion was first introduced to

  ŠKODA AUTO employees last

  

  cooperation at the carmak-

  er and between the individu-

  

  (and an important) step in the

  change of corporate culture.

  We would like to present to

  you the VW Group principles,

  which unify all the efforts

  and progress related to the

  topic of values inside the en-

  tire VW Group. The principles

  will be shared by all members

  of this big automotive family.

  At first sight, these are sim-

  ple and easy instructions re-

  garding how we should treat

  each other and how our mu

  -

  tual cooperation should work.

  However, upon closer inspec-

  tion, these principles may not

  always be easy to incorporate

  into our everyday lives.

  All employees can identi-

  fy with these principles and

  should always follow them.

  “We know that the upcom

  -

  ing transformation of the

  VW Group brings with it im-

  mense challenges. Corpo-

  rate culture – that is, how

  we cooperate and how we

  treat each other – will be the

  key prerequisite for attaining

  our common goals. The VW

  Group principles comprise

  the common foundation of

  our culture. They are a sort

  of a company constitution,

  describing the values our

  parent company lives by in

  all of its brands, companies

  and countries, as well as the

  principles we believe in”,

  said Gunnar Kilian, Volkswa-

  gen Board Member for HR.

  “The development of our

  corporate culture will be

  one of the pivotal topics of

  -

  jnar, ŠKODA AUTO Board

  Member for HR Manage

  -

  ment. Detailed informa-

  tion on the VW Group prin-

  ciples is being compiled by

  the ŠKODA Academy, and

  you will also find it in the

  next issue of ŠKODA Mobil.

  ŠTĚPÁN VORLÍČEK

  WE, NOT I

  VW GROUP INTRODUCES PRINCIPLES OF

  EMPLOYEE COOPERATION

  VOLKSWAGEN GROUP ESSENTIALS STIMMUNGSBAROMETER

  YOU CAN MOVE

  THINGS FORWARD,

  TOO

  STIMMUNGSBAROMETER 2018 POLL STARTED

  ODSTARTOVALO

  U

  

  week), you can express your opinion on what has

  been going on at ŠKODA AUTO this year. Take the op

  -

  

  Stimmungsbarometer survey. Only active participation by

  as many employees as possible can help achieve the desi-

  red changes and improve the work environment. Let your-

  selves be inspired by the motto of this year’s poll, “You

  

  polling stations at the carmaker’s plants or vote on your

  home computer or mobile phone. Everything you need

  can be found on your September payslip with the login

  details. To log in from home, go to www.stibam.de. The

  -

  -

  RED

  Bohdan Wojnar’s

  challenge

  Giving your opinion is essential. Everything a person

  does should be based on feedback from the people

  he or she works with. That is why we joined forces

  with the KOVO Trade Unions to prepare the regular

  Stimmungsbarometer survey for you. We hope that

  you will find the time to take part in this year’s poll.

  WE TAKE ON

  RESPONSIBILITY FOR

  THE ENVIRONMENT

  AND SOCIETY.

  WE ARE HONEST

  AND SPEAK UP WHEN

  SOMETHING IS WRONG.

  WE BREAK NEW

  GROUND.

  WE LIVE DIVERSITY.

  WE ARE PROUD OF

  THE WORK WE DO.

  WE NOT ME.

  WE KEEP OUR WORD.

  VOLKSWAGEN

  GROUP ESSENTIALS

  OCTOBER 2018 ŠKODA MOBIL 7

  There are seven VW

  Group principles

  applying to over

  , employees

  around the globe.

  They are related to the

  change of corporate

  culture everywhere.

• Page 8

  SCALA MEANS

  A STEP FORWARD

  ŠKODA INTRODUCES A BRAND-NEW, TECHNOLOGY-PACKED COMPACT

  MODEL FOR SERIES PRODUCTION

  INTRODUCTION

  N

  ew character, technol-

  ogy and name. ŠKODA

  AUTO completes its of

  -

  fer in the popular compact seg-

  ment with the SCALA. With a high

  level of active and passive safety,

  the car is spacious for passengers

  and luggage and

  features numer

  -

  ous Simply Clever

  solutions. The five-

  door hatchback

  combines emo

  -

  tional design, high

  functionality and

  cutting-edge con

  -

  nectivity options.

  SCALA introduc

  -

  es the emotional design of the VI-

  SION RS concept study, presented

  at the Paris Motor Show, into the

  mid-size segment of series cars. It

  will go on sale in the first half of

  

  “This model ushers in a new

  era of compact cars. It is a unique

  model that sets modern standards

  in the area of technologies, safe

  -

  ty and design. We are convinced

  it will redefine ŠKODA’s compact

  line entirely”, commented ŠKODA

  AUTO Chairman Bernhard Maier.

  Direction and development of

  design

  The SCALA represents a major leap

  forward in terms of technical de-

  velopment for the

  Czech brand. That

  is why its name,

  “scala”, which is

  Latin for “steps” or

  “ladder”, is so fit

  -

  ting. The car boasts

  plastic shapes, dy-

  namic design ele-

  ments and sharp

  lines that give it a

  very distinctive appearance and

  original identity. The model repre

  -

  sents another stage in the brand’s

  design evolution, which will be re-

  flected in future models. The fifth

  door now carries the inscription

  “ŠKODA” instead of the logo.

  Surprising space

  

  

  combination of compact exterior

  dimensions and generous interior

  

  

  driving features are supported by

  

  parameters of the interior dimen

  -

  sions almost reach those in the

  OCTAVIA. Typically for a ŠKO

  -

  DA, the SCALA boasts one of the

  largest boots in its class: The de

  -

  -

  ing the back seats, it can grow to

  

  is characterised by modern, cus-

  tomisable full LED headlights and

  full LED rear lights, and it inte-

  grates dynamic rear indicators.

  Higher equipment levels hide a

  Simply Clever solution under the

  rear fender: a mechanically folda

  -

  ble towing device with electric re-

  lease that unfolds after a button is

  pressed in the boot.

  New generation of technologies

  The modern look is underscored

  by digital technologies integrat

  -

  ed into the car. The flexibly con-

  figurable and customisable Virtu-

  

  the largest in the compact segment.

  ŠKODA Connect, the new genera-

  tion of online services, enables pas-

  sengers to lock or unlock the car us-

  ing their mobile phone or update

  the infotainment system software or

  navigation maps remotely, without

  the need to visit the dealer. SCA-

  -

  el by ŠKODA with an internet con-

  nection. The inbuilt eSIM provides

  a high-speed LTE connection and

  supports emergency calls and pro-

  active servicing functions.

  Economic engines

  ŠKODA SCALA comes with five

  engine versions, all of which meet

  -

  ard. The range includes three pet-

  

  

  driving unit using CNG will be add

  -

  ed. It will be primarily driven by

  compressed gas and will start us

  -

  ing petrol only once it has run out

  of gas. All the engines feature direct

  injection, a turbocharger, Start-Stop

  system and brake energy regenera-

  tion. RED

  Engine options

  PETROL ENGINES

  1,0TSI ovýkonu 70kW (95k)

  1,0TSI ovýkonu 85kW (115k)

  1,5TSI o výkonu 110kW (150k)

  DIESEL ENGINE

  1,6TDI ovýkonu 85kW (115k)

  CNG

  1,0G-TEC ovýkonu 66kW (90k)

  8 ŠKODA MOBIL OCTOBER 2018

  The car uses assist

  systems previously

  available only to upper-

  class models. When

  combined with the

  passive safety elements,

  it gives an exceptionally

  high level of protection.

• Page 9

  T

  his, in a nutshell, describes a pro-

  ject based on an exchange of infor-

  mation between cars and a digital trans-

  port infrastructure. Data will be streamed

  along a specially developed WLANp wire

  -

  less WiFi network that serves intelligent

  transport technologies directly. The in-

  novation is already undergoing live tests

  

  one of the main roads transmit informa-

  tion on the phases of individual signals.

  -

  munication between cars and infrastruc-

  ture) technology will be able to process

  data and inform the driver, for example,

  

  and how much time is left before they

  change. Thanks to this technology, driv-

  ers will not brake or accelerate unneces-

  sarily – in the future, the cars will take

  care of it.

  Eyes for Cars

  The traffic light predictive function

  -

  

  the increased safety of road users. Two

  junctions in Wolfsburg are equipped with

  special sensors that detect pedestrians

  and cyclists with the help of radars and

  then provide approaching vehicles with

  information about them. In fact, this con-

  cerns junction “blind spots”, that is, data

  that cars do not obtain themselves. The

  safety system therefore intervenes in situ-

  ations where drivers or cars fail to detect

  other road users in time or detect them

  too late.

  More Accurate than Mobile

  Technology

  The concept of smart infrastructure in

  -

  tages over other technologies such as

  

  -

  ly inaccurate location information from

  smart phones, the sensors (in a similar

  

  offer a very precise overview of what is

  happening in critical areas. This is essen-

  tial for minimising false alarms. In addi-

  tion to technological aspects, the privacy

  of users also plays a role here, and that is

  exactly what could deter them from using

  location information from their phones”,

  explained Gunnar Koether, Head of Ve-

  hicle Safety Development at Volkswa-

  gen. Several companies are currently

  working to expand the existing stand

  -

  ard of WLANp. The fact that the project

  has successfully reached the stage of real

  testing should accelerate development.

  ŠTĚPÁN VORLÍČEK

  SMART

  TRAFFIC

  LIGHTS

  THE VOLKSWAGEN GROUP AND

  SIEMENS SUPPORT THE CREATION

  OF SAFER JUNCTIONS

  VW GROUPCHINA

  FLAGSHIP FOR

  THE CHINESE MARKET

  THE KODIAQ GT IS SET TO BE THE CZECH BRAND’S NEW TOP MODEL IN CHINA

  Š

  

  coupé produced exclusively for the

  Chinese market. The KODIAQ GT

  is the first car in this segment to combine

  the robustness and versatility of an SUV

  with the sporting elegance and dynam

  -

  ics of a coupé. China will become the lone

  country in which the car manufacturer sells

  four SUV models: the KAMIQ, the KAROQ,

  the KODIAQ and the KODIAQ GT. Indeed,

  China is playing an important role in ŠKO-

  DA’s growth plans. Last year, the automo-

  

  Chinese customers. On a global scale, that

  means that one in four cars made its way to

  the country. “The KODIAQ GT represents a

  key milestone in the ŠKODA brand’s strategy

  in China. We are convinced that this sporty

  and stylish car will appeal to a new group

  -

  pressive driving experiences”, said Dr. Ralf

  Hanschen, President of ŠKODA China. The

  

  Auto Guangzhou motor show, which takes

  

  -

  cle is distinguished by a wide bonnet and

  a black-bordered radiator grille with chrome

  plates. The coupé’s mighty appearance is

  reinforced with LED headlights, a three-di-

  mensionally shaped fender and a front

  spoiler with wide holes. Behind the front

  doors, the roofline runs smoothly to the

  hatch and gives the car a dynamic charac-

  ter. The rear catches the eye with sharply

  contoured rear-light clusters and a delicate

  

  The inscription “ŠKODA” in block capitals

  in the centre of the hatch makes a very bold

  impression. It is a characteristic element of

  the brand’s future model series. The car’s

  interior is also sporty and stylish. It com

  -

  bines roominess with the emotional lines of

  -

  ply Clever solutions. The KODIAQ GT has

  

  

  hp). RED

  OCTOBER 2018 ŠKODA MOBIL 9

• Page 10

  T

  

  

  planned out to strengthen the posi-

  tion of all VW Group brands

  in the key Indian market.

  Roughly a year and a half

  ago, ŠKODA AUTO was as-

  signed the task of drafting

  a successful model strategy

  for the ŠKODA and Volkswa-

  gen brands on the Indian

  market. In June this year,

  the Czech brand was giv

  -

  en the complex responsibil-

  ity of heading local operations as part of IN-

  

  for ŠKODA AUTO, as it took over responsi-

  

  Consequently, modification of the compe-

  tence structure on the management level

  was necessary. Management of the project

  was assigned to Gurpratap Boparai, Manag-

  ing Director of ŠKODA AUTO India Private

  Ltd., who is very knowledgeable about the

  Indian automotive market. Changes to man-

  agement continued when Pavel Richter was

  appointed technical director of production,

  which meant the ŠKODA brand occupies

  one of the most important positions. From

  

  will be responsible for the production of all

  models at the Pune plant.

  “I am very happy to welcome Pavel

  Richter to our team. His experience will play

  a key role in reaching our common goal,

  namely to strengthen the VW Group’s po

  -

  sition on the Indian mar-

  ket”, said Dr. Andreas Lau-

  ermann, Managing Director

  and President of Volkswa-

  gen India Private Ltd., re-

  garding the appointment.

  “Pavel Richter has been fa

  -

  miliar with the company

  structure for many years

  and has extensive profes

  -

  sional experience in the in-

  ternational automobile industry. His knowl-

  edge will make a critical contribution to the

  

  

  

  

  New ŠKODA products will be locally

  

  -

  form. The focus will initially be on India

  

  be tested later on. On this platform, ŠKODA

  and Volkswagen will develop various mod-

  

  for the new models to meet Indian custom-

  er needs, ŠKODA bets on maximum prox-

  imity to the market. Technical development

  of new products will be running primarily

  in India. To facilitate this, the company is

  planning to add new job positions. RED

  INDIA 2.0

  SUN SAVES

  30 PERCENT IN

  CONSUMPTION

  SOLAR POWER PLANT STARTS

  OPERATING IN AURANGABAD,

  INDIA

  R

  oughly a year and a half ago, ŠKODA

  AUTO, along with ŠKO-ENERGO,

  drew up and approved a solar power

  plant construction project in Aurangab

  -

  ad, India. They worked with local sup-

  pliers and jointly arrived at a solution. By

  

  

  

  determined legally as a maximum limit

  for constructing individual energy sourc-

  es. Apart from producing its own energy,

  the power plant protects the cars from air-

  

  The alternative energy source will

  

  -

  tric energy consumption of the Aurang-

  abad plant. Total investment is over

  

  return rate of three and a half years from

  the start of operation. In this way, the car-

  maker supports the Green Future strate-

  gy in the Indian market, showing its re-

  solve to reduce local industry’s impact on

  the environment. The power plant was of-

  

  the production compound. A commem

  -

  orative plaque was unveiled, and the oc-

  casion was attended by Milan Hovorka,

  Czech Ambassador to India, Nandaku

  -

  mana Ghodele, Mayor of the city of Au-

  rangabad, Gurpratap Boparai, Executive

  Manager of SAIPL, and Marek Jancák,

  ŠKODA AUTO Manager of Car Produc

  -

  tion. LUBOŠ HRADECKÝ

  Power plant in figures

  Total area 8000 m

  Capacity 980 kWh

  Generated power 1475 MWh/year

  CO2 savings 922 tonnes/year

  Number of panels 3492

  Construction weight 103 tonnes

  Construction pillars 128

  Number of screws used 42523

  Wind speed resistance 160 km/h

  REINFORCEMENTS

  FOR PUNE

  ŠKODA AUTO’S PAVEL RICHTER IS APPOINTED TECHNICAL

  DIRECTOR OF INDIA 2.0 PROJECT

  10 ŠKODA MOBIL OCTOBER 2018

  The MQB platform

  takes advantage

  of component

  standardisation,

  dimensions and

  production processes,

  which reduces costs and

  cuts production time.

  Pavel Richter

  Pavel Richter has been with ŠKODA AUTO since 2000 and has worked on several

  management positions both in the Czech Republic and abroad.

  In 2011, he became head of the Kvasiny plant.

  In 2014, he transferred to the MBI plant, where he oversaw production of the OCTAVIA,

  RAPID and KAROQ.

  PAVEL RICHTER

  TECHNICAL DIRECTOR OF

  PRODUCTION

  OF INDIA 2.0 PROJECT

  I recommended Pavel Richter for

  production management on the INDIA 2.0

  project because he has experience managing the

  production of the OCTAVIA and RAPID models

  and has been involved in a range of foreign

  projects. I would emphasise his economic

  thinking and sense of innovation in particular,

  both of which have always helped him to find his

  way even in a dicult environment.

  I joined the INDIA 2.0 project with a vision

  that comprises the restructuring of

  processes and the long-term development of

  Indian factories. I am greatly looking forward to

  the collaboration in an international team and to

  the renowned Indian warm-heartedness and

  team spirit, not forgetting their excellent cuisine.

  Together, I believe that we can make the ‘Simply

  Clever’ slogan a reality in India.

  MAREK JANCÁK

  HEAD OF VEHICLE

  PRODUCTION

• Page 11

  E

  uropean tourists agree that Indi-

  ans are incredibly agreeable, friend-

  ly, peaceful and calm people with a

  rich history and a promising future. From

  the point of view of the automotive industry,

  India is a very attractive market with enor-

  mous growth potential. In the eyes of Euro-

  peans, however, it also has chaotic traffic.

  

  not always pay attention to red lights. Motor

  -

  -

  

  A lorry may unexpectedly swerve onto the

  carriageway from a side street right in front

  of you. A short way further, a herd of cattle

  crosses the motorway, heading for pasture

  on the other side. Or drivers make their vehi-

  

  how deep they are, they prefer to step on the

  gas. Car developers have to reckon with this

  unconventional style of driving.

  Trac Availability

  The locals’ driving style and skills are af-

  fected above all by the state of the road net-

  work. The Indian government has been

  struggling with its density for several years.

  For the most part, motorways and express

  roads, which cannot be compared to their

  European counterparts, only connect ma

  -

  jor cities, and it is not possible to drive on

  them at speeds common in Europe. Road

  development is carried out on the basis of

  the National Highways Development Project

  

  km of so-called national roads should be

  converted into four to six-lane motorways.

  However, the construction of express roads,

  

  is facing delays in India. A special pro-

  gramme is dedicated to the construction of

  roads in rural areas where there are either

  no roads at all, or where they lack paved

  

  -

  cess, and as a result the majority of major

  

  Slightly Dierent Trac

  For drivers accustomed to European stand-

  

  described above can be exhausting. This is

  

  to drive them around and look after their

  

  -

  

  gear without the drivers stepping on the

  gas, which burdens the entire drivetrain.

  Cars are basically only coasting. Horns are

  also frequently used. In India, horns blare

  out constantly. If drivers sound their horn

  twice in quick succession, this means that

  they want to overtake you. One long blast

  of the horn means that you have to pay at-

  tention – to whatever it may be. A Euro-

  pean horn can endure similar stress test-

  ing for two weeks. In fact, in just one day

  in Mumbai, you would sound your horn as

  much as in one year in the Czech Republic

  or in Germany. It may be just for this reason

  that Audi has developed a much strong-

  er horn especially for the Indian market.

  ŠTĚPÁN VORLÍČEK

  HOW THEY

  DRIVE IN INDIA

  WHILE IN SOME COUNTRIES THEY DRIVE ON

  THE RIGHT, IN INDIA THEY DRIVE ON THE LEFT,

  THOUGH IN PRACTICE OFTEN IN THE MIDDLE

  INDIA

  STORY OF

  WATER

  CARMAKER HELPS IN INDIA WITH

  CONCRETE PROJECTS

  Š

  KODA AUTO India (SAIPL) is giv-

  ing back in regions in India, where

  it is also operating in the area of social

  and ecological development. It is run

  -

  ning its activities in cooperation with lo-

  

  and is helping to solve problems in health

  care, education, safety, poverty, sustaina

  -

  ble welfare, hygiene and the environment.

  According to recent studies by the

  BBC, the demand for water in India will

  be twice as high as its availability by

  

  

  a severe lack of water. Consequently, In-

  

  according to the expert report. The short-

  age will be particularly hard on the food

  

  the country’s water. The report also warns

  

  

  countries, this is already happening, es-

  pecially during the summer. The carmak-

  er has tackled the issue by taking action.

  

  

  -

  

  it helped to address the critical situation

  with water. The riverbed of the Lahukee

  River, which runs through the town, was

  expanded and the basin was cleaned. As

  -

  lion litres of water for the residents. RED

  100 DAYS LATER

  TOMÁŠ

  ŠOPOR

  PSI/1 – PI PROJ. SMALL, COMPACT,

  MIDSIZE + PI SERVICE

  

  HOW DOES A SPECIALIST

  BECOME A PI INDIA . PROJECT

  COORDINATOR?

  It all went really fast. In August, my boss

  

  

  proposal. I think in my case the key was

  the combination of two factors: previous

  experience with new projects and foreign

  language competence.

  

  WHAT IS YOUR SPECIFIC

  RESPONSIBILITY?

  

  will start production in India, all of them

  

  equipment will be more extensive, which

  will make processes in all operation halls

  more laborious, from Body Shop to Assem-

  bly. My task is to ensure that we discover

  and evaluate the increase in labour and, in

  cooperation with Production Planning, en-

  

  The importance of cooperating with large

  numbers of people, on both the Czech and

  the Indian side, especially with colleagues

  from Production Planning and Industrial

  Engineering, is what makes the task hard.

  

  HOW DID YOU PREPARE FOR THE

  NEW POSITION?

  The most important preparation was my

  previous work at the carmaker. It started

  with the Trainee programme, which was

  a lesson in flexibility in a nutshell. Dur

  -

  ing the year I passed through several de-

  partments and completed a foreign assign-

  ment in Wolfsburg, focusing on my target

  position in the PSI team. After returning, I

  started working as a new project special-

  ist. These days, I make use of all the expe-

  rience I have gained and of the network of

  colleagues I have by developing them fur-

  

  

  COORDINATING A PROJECT THAT

  IS AMONG THE CARMAKER’S KEY

  GOALS MUST BE DAUNTING. DID IT

  TAKE A LOT OF COURAGE TO ACCEPT

  THE CHALLENGE?

  

  natural progression within ŠKODA AUTO.

  I knew I would use my English skills and

  learn about a new culture. Naturally, I feel

  a certain responsibility, but that is the case

  with all my new projects.

  

  HOW HAVE THE PAST  DAYS

  BEEN?

  I’ve connected well with my colleagues in

  Pune. Early on in the project, it was clear

  how demanding the new model produc

  -

  

  would have to hire. All in all, there’s a lot of

  work ahead of us.

  RED

  20

  WELLS IN

  THE HEAD

  WATER OF THE

  LAHUKEE RIVER

  11

  WELL DRILLS

  18

  WELLS IN THE

  DOWNSTREAM

  AREA

  3

  METRES IS

  THE AVERAGE

  INCREASE IN THE

  UNDERGROUND

  WATER LEVEL

  OCTOBER 2018 ŠKODA MOBIL 11

• Page 12

  WAY OF AUTOMATION

  KVASINY PLANT INCREASES BOTH BODY SHOPS’

  T

  he modernisation of production fa-

  cilities is underway inside both of

  the Kvasiny plant’s body shops in or-

  der to meet the increased demand for ŠKO-

  DA cars, which currently

  exceeds the production ca

  -

  

  decided to make the most

  of the available options. We

  plan to achieve the increase

  by introducing multi-shift

  operations and obviously

  also by using modern tech

  -

  nology to the greatest extent

  possible”, explained Tomáš

  Šípek of the PFK-K Kvasiny Body Shop. The

  hope is that expanded capacity will cut de-

  livery times substantially, allow for better

  use of production productivity and, generate

  

  One of the means of increasing out-

  put is the higher rate of operation automa-

  tion, which replaces heavy or ergonomically

  unsuitable tasks. New facilities and tech-

  nologies in the current lines will support

  automation.

  With Body Shop employees working in

  

  plan most of the work for the summer fac

  -

  tory holiday or Sundays. Another stage of

  changes is expected for December. “We are

  facing a major challenge, namely to com-

  bine the needs of the Planning and Produc-

  tion departments. Weekend activities must

  not affect production roll-out on Sunday

  evening”, explained Šípek.

  These operations would not

  be feasible without the coop-

  eration of the departments

  involved (Production, Plan

  -

  ning and Maintenance). The

  line must always be set up

  for a required condition, and

  everything must be planned

  based on the phase of com-

  pletion of the parts or re-

  quired position of the robots. Hence, precise

  preparation is essential. After the week’s

  last shift, they follow it stringently and set

  everything up as necessary. “All operations

  must have an exact timeline, since we al-

  -

  ing new facilities so that we guarantee that

  current production quality is maintained and

  defects on the new facility are mitigated”,

  added Šípek.

  The whole process of increasing Body

  

  during the factory holiday in the summer of

  

  

  EVA JAROŠOVÁ

  PRODUCTION AND LOGISTICS

  Modernisation at the

  Kvasiny plant aims

  to increase the daily

  production capacity

  of Body Shop A to 

  bodies and Body Shop B

  to  bodies.

  3

  LINES UNDERWENT

  COMPLETE AUTOMATION

  37

  NEW ROBOTS IN

  THE BODY SHOP

  240

  ROBOTS HAD TO BE

  REPROGRAMMED

  NEW FLEET OF VW

  UTILITY CARS FOR

  LOGISTICS

  -

  

  have been delivered to the Operational Logistics de-

  partment. It uses them for the carmaker’s logistical

  

  

  a new contract, we were able to get better-equipped

  cars that will make the drivers’ life easier and do

  so at a better price. The rubber padding of body

  sides of the low bed protects the transported ma

  -

  terial. The durability of loading spaces in the box-

  type trucks has been increased by plywood, which,

  together with the anchoring ledge, provides for var

  -

  ious ways of fastening the transported material and

  parts”, said Tomáš Hendrych of Operational Logis

  -

  tics. In the selection, they emphasised improved

  

  ergonomics of daily operations when loading and

  unloading material. They also improved emission

  limits, as all new vans are now driven by engines

  -

  ing to decrease CO emissions. The project will

  

  drive and an electromotor. RED

  Specific

  measures

  Adding robots

  Automation of operations

  Machine replacement

  Shifts of welding points between the

  robots

  Changes to robot tracks

  INDUSTRY 4.0

  IN PRACTICE

  When producing bodies, adhesive is used in the

  body shops to join materials. The use of this meth-

  

  more surfaces joined by adhesive on every new

  model. Quality assessment of the joints is conduct-

  ed either visually or through destructive testing.

  They use in Body Shop the device RT Vision Stand

  Alone camera with a lighting disc and a combina-

  tion of three cameras, each monitoring a range of

  

  All of that is part of the application pistol with

  a focal point under the jet applying the adhesive.

  The camera checks material during the very pro

  -

  cess of adhesion. The result of using this tech-

  -

  vents non-conforming parts from becoming loose.

  

  Mladá Boleslav. In the future, the carmaker plans

  to introduce it in the other body shops as well.

  TOMÁŠ SCHIFFMANN

  12 ŠKODA MOBIL OCTOBER 2018

• Page 13

  REVAMPING BODY

  SHOP IN 150 DAYS

  PREPARATIONS FOR PRODUCTION OF EVS AND NEW GENERATION OF

  OCTAVIA IN FULL SWING IN OPERATION SHOPS

  T

  

  Body Shop in the main plant alrea-

  dy started prior to the company ho-

  liday. All work is carried

  out at full operation in or

  -

  der to follow up directly

  with the new SOP model.

  The installation of new li

  -

  nes and robots, as well as

  the shop’s overall moder

  -

  nisation, has been carefu-

  lly planned. As the Body

  Shop has limited surface

  capacity, everything has

  been designed and organised so that the

  

  For the modernisation, the carmaker has

  used cutting-edge production procedures

  that have sped up the process substantia-

  lly. Specialists designed the project using

  laser technology and subsequently created

  an electronic blueprint of each robot’s loca-

  tion. Everything was checked on a compu

  -

  ter by using VR.

  As soon as surfaces

  for new lines were ready,

  everything was planned

  out to the smallest de

  -

  tail using a laser, includ-

  ing the locations for fix-

  

  floor. Subsequently, they

  placed the construction

  platforms, installed tech

  -

  nologies and laid out wiring. Next, they

  were able to connect the lines, which they

  connected to other necessary media. The

  revamp will make space for almost dou-

  

  distributed along the future lines. The

  

  are being laid.

  Pressed parts storage has been moved to

  the former spare parts Paint Shop because

  construction work is underway in this area,

  too. The original ventilation has been disas-

  sembled, and a new one is being installed.

  The Body Shop will get a new conveyor

  technology that will reduce the steps and

  time gaps between operations. Less trans

  -

  portation will contribute to increased safety

  on the roads inside the shop. Local employ-

  ees can look forward to a modern workplace,

  new team spaces are planned, restrooms will

  

  workers will need to complete a new series

  of trainings to master the new technology.

  At the moment, tool setter courses are tak

  -

  ing place, and courses for Maintenance have

  been scheduled. EVA JAROŠOVÁ

  EMPLOYEE

  LOYALTY

  GROWS

  QUALIFIED STAFF CHANGE JOBS AT

  ŠKODA AUTO LESS FREQUENTLY

  F

  ollowing the analyses conducted by HR

  -

  quent job changes) in several companies,

  

  and does not pose a threat (unlike, for exam-

  

  

  

  

  

  elimination of stereotypes in teams. Dropping

  

  the direct and the overhead area, with the

  

  on record. RED

  HUMAN RESOURCESPRODUCTION

  Did you know

  that...

  ...according to the Czech Republic’s

  Labour Oce, the country’s

  unemployment rate dropped to

  3 percent in September? Some

  224,331 people were out of a job,

  and the number of vacancies grew

  to over 316,000. Employers were

  mainly interested in labourers in civil

  engineering, production assistants,

  assembly operators, cleaners and

  helpers in hotels and other facilities,

  truck and special vehicle drivers, forklift

  operators and stock administrators,

  welders, flame cutters, blow lamp

  operators and cooks. Unsurprisingly, the

  highest demand is for technical experts

  across all fields.

  Only five months

  between the revamp

  and the first finished

  piece, all without

  stopping the production

  programme and with

  great help from the

  Body Shop employees.

  482

  SQUARE METRES OF

  CONCRETE FLOORS

  32881

  SQUARE METRES OF

  SURFACES PAINTED

  130

  TRUCKS BROUGHT

  MATERIAL

  465

  NEW

  ROBOTS

  90

  NEW SUSPENSIONS ON

  CONVEYORS

  2005

  2006

  2007

  2008

  2009

  2010

  2011

  2012

  2013

  2014

  2015

  2016

  2017

  2018

  7,9

  11,1

  11,0

  8,7

  9,5

  6,0

  5,0

  5,0

  8,0

  9,6

  7,3

  4,8

  4,9

  11,4

  5,0

  6,1

  6,5

  5,9

  6,0

  5,2

  6,3

  5,1

  5,7

  5,7

  5,0

  6,2

  6,4

  6,4

  Fluctuation atŠKODA AUTO

  over time

  direct area overhead area

  OCTOBER 2018 ŠKODA MOBIL 13

• Page 14

  14 ŠKODA MOBIL OCTOBER 2018

  V

  -

  totype Body and Powertrain Car-

  rier Build uses spot welding technolo-

  

  operating here. Owing to high temper

  -

  ature loads, resistance welders need to

  be maintained in a stable environment.

  To that end, water from the nearby Riv

  -

  

  from the one connected to the cooling fa-

  cility described in the article opposite.

  Past and present

  In the past, water was rerouted through

  a system of pipes to the plant that would

  distribute it as needed. When the ma-

  chines were cooled, water was returned

  to the river. Today, the system is com

  -

  

  The whole process is automated and me-

  ticulously monitored by local workers.

  They went for it mainly because modern

  spot weld pliers with electronic control

  had been introduced. The original ones

  worked well in damp conditions, which

  may cause haywire or damage electron

  -

  ics in the new model. Another reason was

  

  

  when it was not needed.

  Unique idea

  The measure they came up with did away

  

  spot welding pliers’ dampness. They cre-

  ated an internal circuit, which they con-

  nected to machines that needed to be

  cooled. For example, when it is heated

  to a certain point at the peak of produc

  -

  tion, intelligent control discharges fresh

  river water into the interchanger for as

  long as necessary. As soon as the device

  temperature has stabilised, it stops dis-

  

  

  is not required as often. In turn, the sys-

  tem is under less load, and technical wa-

  ter treatment is not needed. “It is a sim-

  ple facility with a long service life, and

  its maintenance only involves replac

  -

  ing filters. Apart from spot welding pli-

  ers, it also manages to cool the new ro-

  botic workstation and, if necessary, can

  -

  

  

  Apart from the unique facility men-

  tioned above, the Vrchlabí plant is also

  preparing a wide-scale installation of

  

  washing hands. EVA JAROŠOVÁ

  WHEN A RIVER

  HELPS

  WATER FROM NEARBY LABE

  COOLS WELDING CIRCUIT IN

  VRCHLABÍ

  STATIONS THAT

  SAVE ENERGY

  ANNUAL ELECTRICITY SAVINGS OF COOLING FACILITIES

  AT ŠKODA AUTO EXCEED 4 MILLION CROWNS

  A

  

  hides an ingenious system that the ro

  -

  botised welding lines could not do without.

  Water is discharged from the station to every robot in

  order to cool down the spot welding

  pliers. This is how massive pumps

  

  The station is regularly checked by

  ŠKO-ENERGO employees who mon-

  itor the whole cooling process and

  search for possibilities of reducing

  energy consumption. By introduc

  -

  ing the new monitoring system, they

  can see in real time the opportuni-

  ty for savings directly in crowns per

  year. “People often don’t have an idea how much cir-

  culation costs. They think if the water inlet is restrict-

  ed, they save nothing and the machine will be cooled

  in the wrong way. However, each of them is designed

  

  

  

  Ladislav Dlask from ŠKO-ENERGO.

  -

  ings and propose possible measures to individual de-

  

  

  four of them operate as per technological requirements.

  

  successfully been reduced. Another solution was pro-

  

  

  electricity savings of about a quarter

  of a million crowns per year.

  How the facility works

  The heart of the station is cooling

  towers and circuit pumps with fre

  -

  quency changers whose automat-

  

  water at a moment when production

  closes the valves. The chemical treat-

  

  the water has the required quality. The stations oper-

  -

  ing to be attended to. The water that evaporates in the

  cooling stations is supplied by ŠKO-ENERGO with in-

  dustrial water from the Bradlec water works – for in-

  

  

  

  plant has six cooling stations, each of which is intend-

  

  EVA JAROŠOVÁ

  Overview in figures

  ŠKO-ENERGO services six

  stations in the main production

  plant and two in Kvasiny, for

  the Body Shop and Paint Shop,

  and one in Vrchlabí for the

  transmission production

  During standard operation,

  around 3,300 m3/h of

  water, 810 m3/h and 400

  m3/h circulate in Mladá

  Boleslav, Kvasiny and Vrchlabí,

  respectively

  Annual electric energy savings

  in all cooling facilities exceeds

  4million CZK

  1

  Circuit pumps for Body Shop

  M14

  2

  Cooling towers located on

  the roof and equipped with a

  noise barrier

  3

  ŠKO-ENERGO employees

  checking parameters of the

  cooling tower

  1

  2 3

  By carefully treating

  water, ŠKODA AUTO

  constantly reduces the

  volume necessary to

  produce one car. Now it

  is a mere . m in the

  Czech Republic.

• Page 15

  OCTOBER 2018 ŠKODA MOBIL 15

  A

  

  crews from all over the Czech Re

  -

  public and from abroad got together on

  the starting line in Mladá Boleslav. Divid-

  ed into three categories, including CNG,

  petrol and diesel, their task was to com-

  plete the track with the lowest consump-

  tion possible. In the assessment, organis-

  ers took into account real CO

  

  emissions,

  average speed and engine displacement.

  

  from Mladá Boleslav to Vrchlabí and back

  

  before the time lapse was allowed; failing

  to do so meant disqualification. Crews

  always comprised at least two ŠKODA

  users.

  The winning team of the ECONOMY

  -

  ing Radek and Daniel Pecák complet-

  

  had an average consumption of a mere

  

  -

  

  per km. Remarkable results were also

  achieved in the diesel and petrol catego-

  

  -

  

  

  -

  

  

  

  also on the second-best performance in

  the petrol category: Michaela and Petr

  

  -

  RED

  DRIVERS TEST

  CARS’ LOW

  CONSUMPTION

  RESULTS OF THE 37TH

  TRADITIONAL ECONOMY RUN

  CONFIRM EFFICIENCY OF ŠKODA

  CARS

  VOLUNTEERS CLEAN UP

  IN REGIONS

  ŠKODA AUTO AND ITS EMPLOYEES JOIN THE ‘CLEAN THE WORLD,

  CLEAN THE CZECH REPUBLIC’ PROJECT

  F

  or the fourth time, as

  part of community

  projects, the carmak

  -

  er and its employees helped

  to clean the regions where

  their plants are located.

  In September, PS – Brand

  Management organised the

  “Clean our surroundings”

  event, where volunteers from

  among Mladá Boleslav em-

  ployees removed litter on the

  -

  lová Street. In one afternoon,

  a small group of people man-

  

  waste. Volunteers in Vrchlabí

  continued, working together

  with the Krkonoše National

  Park in support of the “Clean

  Krkonoše” project.

  

  the nearby Vrchlabí plant

  and workers from Mladá

  Boleslav and Kvasiny set

  

  the beginning of October to

  -

  ist trails after the main sea-

  son. The weekend’s goal of

  the “Clean the world, clean

  the Czech Republic” initia

  -

  tive was to clean up around

  -

  sleigh track, in the Bílé Labe

  Valley and around Petrova

  and Moravská bouda.

  However, everyone can

  devote time to this volun

  -

  tary activity. Nowadays,

  there are numerous cam

  -

  paigns – for example, on

  social media – to clean up

  your neighbourhood when

  walking your dog or picking

  mushrooms.

  Start sooner

  In Czech villages and towns,

  the sorting of waste is con-

  stantly improving. Com-

  munal waste and its sort-

  

  of overall waste production

  in the Czech Republic. In

  

  -

  -

  

  

  of people were actively sort-

  

  packaging was reused or re-

  cycled. RED

  Did you know

  that...

  ...according to the No packaging

  initiative, the average Czech family

  produces over a tonne of waste every

  year? Last year, a total of 3.6 million

  tonnes of communal waste was

  produced in the Czech Republic. A

  family of four generates 1.3 tonnes,

  which equals to about 1kg of

  communal waste per person per day.

  Overview of winning

  cars by category

  CNG

  ŠKODA CITIGO G-TEC

  PETROL

  ŠKODA CITIGO 1.0 MPI

  DIESEL

  ŠKODA OCTAVIA 1.9 TDI

• Page 16

  MOTORSPORT

  K

  alle Rovanperä, the junior pilot of the ŠKODA

  

  Monday tests, and as soon as the Thursday he took

  

  

  the Atlantic. He laid the groundwork for success on

  Friday, when he beat teammate Pontus Tidemand

  by more than a minute. The young Finn achieved

  

  

  

  at the Australia Rally, he prevailed over all of his

  strong competitors. On Sunday, the crews tack

  -

  

  

  the Atlantic Ocean, Rovanperä excelled with the

  

  new racing day in great style.

  Giving a balanced performance, Tidemand held

  on to second place in his category. The next SS saw

  Rovanperä triumph again, while Tidemand’s car’s

  right side was slightly damaged. For safety rea

  -

  sons, he and his co-pilot, Andersson, replaced the

  suspension linkage of his rear right wheel. In the

  three remaining speed tests, two of which were on

  

  -

  

  and reigning world champions Tidemand and

  Andersson.

  Following Rally Turkey, the ŠKODA brand pre-

  maturely secured a fourth consecutive champion-

  ship title (subject to official confirmation by the

  FIA).

  C

  

  brands are operating in China,

  and local manufacturers’ com

  -

  petitiveness is steadily growing. One of

  the options to stand out in this dynam-

  ic market and set one brand apart from

  others is to actively present the long

  history and tradition that the carmaker

  draws on when designing new models.

  Opportunities to showcase the brand in-

  clude the well-known classics rallies or-

  ganised by local editorial teams of the

  Auto Bild and Auto motor and sport

  magazines in the autumn. Although the

  import and export of classics is highly

  -

  siastic owners and fans of automotive

  history. Visitor numbers at these events

  are rising every year, and so too is me-

  dia attention. So far, ŠKODA has been

  represented at every single one of the

  classics rallies and is planning to keep

  up the trend.

  Three awards for the ŠKODA brand

  The traditional Great Wall & Yan-

  qi Island Concours d’Elegance clas-

  sics rally in Beijing is the most famous

  motorsports event in China. This year,

  the carmaker competed against more

  -

  

  -

  lent performances by their crews were

  recognised with three awards: Best Pre-

  War Classic Car, Best Swinging Sixties

  Familiale and Kaizen Racing RT Chal-

  

  -

  ber, the rally attracted crowds of fans.

  It started on Yanqi Island, continued

  through the picturesque countryside

  

  -

  -

  lar Reignwood holiday resort.

  The key speaker at the press con-

  ference before the start of the rally was

  Dr. Ralf Hanschen, President of ŠKODA

  China. “ŠKODA AUTO is one of the

  world’s oldest carmakers. We are very

  proud of the brand’s inventive spirit and

  history. This staple of an event presents

  an excellent opportunity for us to share

  a unique automobile culture and her-

  itage with customers and motorsport

  fans during the traditional mid-autumn

  festival and showcase the strength of

  the ŠKODA brand”, said Dr. Hanschen.

  History revived

  In September, ŠKODA cars also re-

  ceived accolades at the Top City Clas-

  sic Rally in Shanghai. This time, two

  

  

  the old-timers’ race, which took place

  

  received well-deserved attention among

  

  brands. The classics set off from the

  city of Wuzhen and headed towards the

  Qiandao Lake in the Zhejiang province,

  as excited fans were cheering on them

  along the track. The Historical Revival

  award was presented to the OCTAVIA

  COMBI, which had its premiere in Chi-

  na. On this occasion, ŠKODA AUTO

  presented to the press and prospective

  customers not only the new OCTAVIA

  COMBI, which was launched in the lo-

  cal market about a year ago, but also

  the brand’s long-standing tradition of

  producing practical and spacious family

  cars. RED

  Results

  Rally of Great Britain (WRC 2)

  1.

  ROVANPERÄ/HALTTUNEN (FIN/FIN)

  ŠKODA FABIA R5, 3:15:27.2 H

  2.

  TIDEMAND/ANDERSSON (SWE/SWE)

  ŠKODA FABIA R5, +1:34.2 MIN

  3.

  GREENSMITH/GELSOMINO (GBR/ITA)

  FORD FIESTA R5, +2:13.6 MIN

  4.

  HUTTUNEN/LINNAKETO (FIN/FIN)

  HYUNDAI I20 R5, +2:56.8 MIN

  5.

  LEFEBVRE/MOREAU (FRA/FRA)

  CITROËN C3 R5, +4:35.4 MIN

  THIRD DOUBLE

  WIN OF THE

  SEASON

  KALLE ROVANPERÄ TRIUMPHS AT BRITISH

  RALLY IN WALES IN START-FINISH STYLE

  CLASSICS

  SHINE IN CHINA

  CHINESE CUSTOMERS APPRECIATE ŠKODA’S RICH HISTORY AND

  TRADITION SETTING IT APART FROM COMPETITION

  16 ŠKODA MOBIL OCTOBER 2018