Škoda says it will significantly increase the capacities for the manufacture of the automatic dual-clutch transmission DQ200 in its plant in Vrchlabí, which is set to begin in mid-2013.
Instead of the previously planned capacity of 1,000 transmissions a day, the plant will produce up to 1,500 transmissions per day.
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Škoda says the revised plan is the result of negotiations at the group level, which the management of Škoda has jointly concluded with the leadership of the union OS KOVO. The launch of the production of transmissions in Vrchlabí will take place in September 2012.
The 50% capacity expansion that is to begin in 2013 will significantly improve the utilisation of the Škoda site in Vrchlabí. “Together with the labor representatives and the Volkswagen Group, we have reached a good decision. This resolution offers the plant and its employees clear prospects for the future,” said Škoda board member for Human Resources, Bohdan Wojnar.
“Now it is important to work with high pressure and care for the successful preparation of the production start in September and the expansion that is to begin in 2013,” he added.
A few weeks ago, the first Škoda training centre for the assembly of gearboxes in Vrchlabí commenced its pilot operation.
The plant in Vrchlabí had already been selected for the production of the DQ200 transmission in 2011.
NB: The DQ200 transmission – the ‘D’ stands for ‘directly’ shifting and the ‘Q’ for its transverse mounting [transverse = “quer” in German] – offers the comfortable shifting of an automatic transmission combined with quick gear shifts without torque interruption.
