Volkswagen Builds New Engine Plant in Mexico

• From 2013, the Silao Plant will be the supply production site in North America for engines
• With a planned capacity of 330,000 engines annually

Otto Lindner, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen de México, announced the decision this Wednesday in Mexico City in the presence of Mexican President Felipe Calderón and the Governor of the state of Guanajuato, Juan Manuel Oliva Ramiréz. Construction works are set to begin this year. From 2013 engines will be produced on site in Silao with the help of state-of-the-art manufacturing technology.

"North America is and remains one of the biggest and most important markets for the automotive industry," explained Prof. Dr. Jochem Heizmann, member of the Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft Board of Management for Group Production. "The current expansion of capacity of the plant in Puebla, the upcoming start of production in Chattanooga, as well as the opening up of the new engine plant in Silao, clearly shows how Volkswagen AG is going on the offensive in North America as well."

Strengthening the market position of the Volkswagen Group in North America is an essential component of the global expansion strategy. In this context the Volkswagen Group is planning sales of one million vehicles in the USA annually from 2018. The core elements of this strategy are vehicles tailored to the demands of US customers, such as the New Jetta or the New Midsize Sedan, which are produced in North American plants with a high degree of localisation.

From 2013, the new plant in Silao will supply engines of the latest generation to the vehicle plants in Puebla, Mexico and Chattanooga in the USA. The new plant in Puebla is designed for an annual capacity of 330,000 engines. The investment volume for the development of the new engine as well as for building the new site comes to a total of USD 550 million (EUR 400 million). Volkswagen will create approximately 700 jobs over the medium term on site in Silao. In addition, further jobs will arise in the region with suppliers and in the area of logistics. The Volkswagen Group selected Silao as the new engine site because in addition to having a qualified work force and a developed supplier structure, the region offers a site of 60 hectares which is already developed and has an existing transport infrastructure.

Referring to the great significance to the company of the new engine plant, Otto Lindner, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen de México said, "In over 40 years our plant in Puebla has developed into one of the largest vehicle plants in the Group. The decision to open up a second site in Mexico is the next logical step as part of our expansion strategy."

Currently, the Volkswagen Jetta, Golf estate and the New Beetle are produced in Puebla, Mexico. From 2011, production of the New Midsize Sedan will begin in Chattanooga, Tennessee in the USA.
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