Fred Schulze (48) is to be the new director of the Audi plant in Ingolstadt as of October 1. He is to move from Neckarsulm, where he currently holds the same position, to the main site of the automobile manufacturer. Schulze will succeed to Peter Kössler (56), who, after eight years as plant director in Ingolstadt, will move to AUDI HUNGARIA MOTOR Kft. in Győr, Hungary. There, he will succeed to Dr. h.c. Thomas Faustmann (52) as managing director. Dr. Faustmann will be the new director of the Audi plant in Neckarsulm.
Bringing valuable knowledge to new places, sharing expertise and experience, and continually growing those resources – those are the reasons for the personnel changes, stated Prof. Dr. Hubert Waltl, Audi Board of Management Member for Production. “We will only remain mobile and capable of moving things forward when we expand our horizons and think beyond our own boundaries,” explained Waltl.
Waltl thanked Peter Kössler for his many years of service at the Audi plant in Ingolstadt and for his great contribution to the successful development of the site. “As a native of Ingolstadt, Peter Kössler has worked for our main plant with enormous commitment. During his period of office, he has established Ingolstadt as the technologically leading plant within the Audi Group and as the second‑largest automobile plant in Europe. A large number of models and new departments have continually been added, such as the production facility in Münchsmünster, Audi Neuburg and the planned IN‑Campus.” Kössler is also responsible for initiating the site infrastructure group. Since then, the city of Ingolstadt and Audi have cooperated even more closely on the planning of infrastructure and traffic development.
At the same time, Waltl welcomed the future plant director in Ingolstadt: “Like Peter Kössler, Fred Schulze has been at the Volkswagen Group for more than 20 years. In his previous positions in Neckarsulm – especially as plant director – he has gained a great store of experience and knowledge about Audi’s production processes. In Schulze’s term of nearly four years as plant director, Neckarsulm has strengthened its position as the Audi plant with the highest degree of model complexity.” Schulze has also been successful with the development of new logistics areas and the construction of the new Audi R8 factory at Böllinger Höfe.