The high-performance sedan is now on its way to a customer in Dubai. The Panamera model line has been in operation in Leipzig since 2009. “The success story of our Leipzig location is closely linked to the Panamera,” says Gerd Rupp, Chairman of the Management Board of Porsche Leipzig GmbH. “Like the location itself, the model represents growth and change.”
From 2009, the Panamera was initially built and painted within the Porsche Group. The assembly plant first opened in 2002, and when it was expanded into a full factory it turned the Panamera into a ‘true Leipziger’, with production of the second generation starting in 2016. In November 2013, the first body construction plant and paint shop started production at the location. “The expansion to a full factory was a groundbreaking decision for the site,” says Rupp. “As a full factory, we manufacture models in their entirety, from the construction of the body to the final assembly. This has laid the foundation for new car projects and continued growth.” Today, Porsche is an important economic driver and employer in the central German region, with the factory employing more than 4,400 people. “Our employees are our biggest success factor. Without the commitment of our team, there were many challenges we wouldn’t have been able to master,” says Rupp. In recent years, the factory has evolved into a centre of expertise for electromobility. In future, it will be possible to manufacture three types of powertrain – combustion, electric and hybrid drives – flexibly on a single line.
Production in Leipzig: smart, lean, green – and the winner of multiple awards
The Porsche factory in Leipzig has already won multiple awards, including one for its ‘smart factory’ approaches. Its objective has been to prepare the factory and its processes for the future in the best possible way – making them intelligent, digital and connected. Sustainability is also a central aspect of the factory strategy. This includes the vision of a Zero Impact Factory – that is, a production process that leaves no ecological footprint. The awards include the Platinum rating from the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) and the Lean & Green Management Award 2021. In November, the factory received the renowned Factory of the Year award for 2023. This is one of the most important industry competitions at international level, with the prize awarded by the Kearney corporate consulting firm together with publisher SV Veranstaltungen and the trade magazine ‘Produktion’.
