Audi at the San José Chiapa production site

Audi at the San José Chiapa production site

A new plant is being created: Audi will produce the Audi Q5 at the site in San José Chiapa in Mexico as of 2016. The most up-to-date production plant in the Audi world is being created on the 460 hectare site (including a just-in-sequence park).

At an altitude of 2,400 meters, it is the highest site in the Audi production network. AUDI AG is investing more than € 1 billion in the new site’s plant and infrastructure, including the most environmentally friendly paint shop on the American continent.

Audi México has already recruited about 5,000 employees for the production of automobiles. The economy of the entire region will profit from this development. There are currently also 284 apprentices (134 thereof at Audi México; another 150 apprentices are training under contract at Volkswagen de México) in five vocations, such as automotive mechatronics technician and body manufacturing mechanic. It is planned to take on around 90 apprentices each year in the future. The dual training system is based on the German system and combines theory with practical experience. The dual cooperation partner is the Universidad Tecnológica de Puebla (UTP). Training courses involving more than 1,500 employees will be carried out each year in the new training center with a total floor space of 20,000 square meters. The training center has been laying the foundations for the employees’ top qualifications since it was opened in October 2014.

The new Audi plant will have an annual production capacity of 150,000 Audi Q5 models. Audi has selected approximately 180 suppliers for the Audi Q5. By the start of production, Audi México will source more than 70 percent of value added locally, in the medium term, more parts will be purchased locally.

Smart logistics are part of Audi Mexico. The plant will use RFID tags, allowing flexible production and supply chains. Audi Mexico is the first factory in the entire VW Group to implement such technology for the complete material and container flow. The new plant is being constructed in accordance with applicable Audi standards – including those concerning sustainability and environmental protection. The plant is based on designs with a clear emphasis on environmental protection. As in the other plants of the Audi Group, for example, we are installing a mechanical, chemical and biological process-water treatment system, which is intended to make the factory practically wastewater neutral. The same applies to CO₂ emissions from production (CO₂ neutrality). The environmental protection guidelines are the same as those applied by AUDI AG.

Audi México has already planted more than 100,000 trees on 100 hectares (247 acres) in the neighboring county of San José Ozumba to help replenish groundwater.

In November 2015, the company launched the Audi Orchestra in the context of the Esperanza Azteca initiative. This project aims to integrate children from seven to 17 years old from the region into a choir and an orchestra, each with 100 members. With this initiative, Audi aims to develop cognitive and manual skills, foster teamwork and develop a sense of community between San José Chiapa and Audi.

Business responsibility is a firm component of Audi’s corporate strategy. The new plant in Mexico, which is the world’s most modern Audi plant, places priority on ecological, social and economic sustainability, and is thus playing an active part in shaping the region’s future.

Facts and figures

AUDI AG

Chairman of the Board of Management: Prof. Rupert Stadler
Chairman of the Supervisory Board: Matthias Müller
Employees (AUDI AG): 60.655 (as of December 31, 2016)
Employees (Audi Group): 88.453 (as of December 31, 2016)
Deliveries to customers (2016): 1,803,350 automobiles of the Audi brand
Production (2016): 1,903,259 automobiles (including Lamborghini and CKD)
(all information as at December 31, 2016)

Audi at the site in San José Chiapa

Site: Audi México S.A. de C.V.
Audi start of production: 2016
Employees (2016): 5,009
Models (2016): Audi Q5
Production (2016): 10,746 automobiles
(all information as at December 31, 2016)

Fuel consumption of the models named above

Fuel consumption of the Audi Q5:
Combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 8.5 - 4.5 (27.7 - 52.3 mpg US)
Combined CO₂ emissions in g/km: 195 - 117 (313.8 - 188.3 g/mi)