Visit at Volkswagen Plant, Pune

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“Why only Volkswagen can build a Volkswagen?”

This is cool line, but you know what’s cooler? The fact that it’s true.

                What you can do just after the exams? Just follow CEV group activities and you will definitely find some great attraction towards CEV group and its activities. We thought to visit something really cool or by which we can enrich our Technical knowledge as well as can have fun with Techies.

We started our journey to visit Volkswagen Pune plant from SVNIT-Surat on the morning of Dec  7th,2014 for Mumbai. After reaching at BCT-Mumbai at 04:00pm, we visited some of the well-known places in Mumbai viz. Gate way of India, Hotel Taj, Churni road-Chopati till 09:00 pm. By the late night of Dec 7th, we reached at Pune and stayed at Hotel. As we were supposed to reach at company plant by 09:30am on Dec 8th, we fresh up early and went there by Tempo Traveller that we have hired. We started our best part of the journey at 10:00am, after the introductory session that has taken by Chaitanya Halbe sir. Here is the journey into one of the biggest and most respected carmakers. A great deal of Thought , Attention and Innovation goes into the every stage-process to built each car that is truly Das Auto ( The Car ).

As we all know, Cars can be divided into two groups according to their designs.

  1. Hatch back
  2. Siddan

Volkswagen worldwide

Volkswagen Automobile Group is globally represented by twelve brands- Volkswagen, Passenger Cars, Audi, SEAT, SKODA, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, Ducati, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Scania and MAN. The product spectrum ranges from motorcycles to luxury vehicles and heavy trucks.

Total production plants- 106 across 27 countries.

Total employees- 572,800 (including indirect employees)

About Pune Plant

The Volkswagen India plant, situated in the industrial hub of Pune i.e. Chakan -37 km away from Pune city, is one of the most modern facilities in the Volkswagen Group worldwide and has a high level of vertical integration. An initial investment commitment of Volkswagen group is INR 3,800 crores (580 million Euros) and is planning to invest INR 5000 crores more in upcoming years.

The state-of-the-art Pune Plant builds Volkswagen Polo and Vento and SKODA Rapid on a single line at the same time.

Employees- 3,600 (including 1,100 indirect employees and 33 R&D researchers)

Total Area- 575 acres (including 100 acres constructed area)

Investment till date- 700 million Euros

Production of cars per day- 430 cars in 2 shifts

Production Capacity- 130,000 cars in 2 shifts

Cars Produced

  1. Volkswagen Polo since Dec 2009 (Right Hand Drive as well as Left Hand Drive)
  2. Volkswagen Vento since Aug 2010 (Right Hand Drive as well as Left Hand Drive)
  3. SKODA Rapid since Oct 2011 (Right Hand Drive Only)
  4. SKODA Fabia till Dec 2013 only

The manufacturing facility includes Body Shop followed by

Paint Shop and then

Assembly line

  1. Body Shop – Initial stage where car starts taking shape.

Pressed metal (100% Galvanised steel for 100% strength & safety) parts from the Press Shop are received in the Body Shop to create the body shell.

The car bodies are built from bottom to top; starting from the underbody, then the side framers, roof and finally with closure parts viz. doors, bonnet and boot lid with almost 35% of automation.

  1. Paint Shop – Stage in which car is giving its colours

Firstly, the vehicle body undergoes a cleaning process after which it gets the ElectroCoat followed by Coarse Sealent, Underbody Coating and Fine Sealing before getting the Primer Coat.

Finally, finishing and waxing of the body is done and then car body is sent to the assembly line.

Local manufacturers – Asian Paints. (To decrease the manufacturing cost)

  1. Assembly line – Final area of manufacturing

Here, you’ll get a chance to experience German Engineering, made in India. Also, witness one of the fastest marriages of Chassis with remaining car body. The car then moves to the finish line where it gets the steering wheel, airbags, seats and doors.

Local manufacturers – MRF and Apollo for tyres.

Why should you buy Volkswagen cars?

  1. Unique Roof Laser Welding for greater rigidity and zero dampness. (Roof stay stronger and more secure even after years.)
  2. 6 years of anti-perfurism warranty
  3. Inline Measurement process done by Robots for zero-error body that lasts years.
  4. 11-stage Paint Process for longer-lasting beauty and Ro-Dip Technology for 360* paint coverage for excellent corrosion protection.

 Extra tests carried out on Volkswagen cars

  1. Stone Impact Test to check paint and body strength.
  2. Destruction Tests to ensure ultimate endurance & quality.
  3. Intense checks for almost 7 hours on each car.
  4. Test on special track.

Exports from Pune Plant

‘German Engineering, Made in India by Volkswagen’ is in great demand worldwide. Currently, Volkswagen India exports the Polo and Vento, in right-hand as well as left-hand drive versions, to over 32 countries across three continents – Asia, Africa and North America.

Commencement of export – 2011 in South Africa

2012 in Middle East countries with LHD

2013 in Mexican Market with Indian Vento

2013 in Malaysia with component of Polo and Vento

CEVians really enjoyed the manufacturing process of POLO and its elder brother Vento and the iconic distinct cousin Beetle.

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