Porsche and Schuler have signed a contract for a joint venture to build a press shop focusing on aluminium body panels and small batch production, creating 100 jobs.
The European Commission (EC) has approved the undertaking, although a green light from anti-trust authorities is still pending.
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“Porsche wants to use the joint venture to lay the foundations for the future of sports car manufacturing,” said Porsche board member for production and logistics, Albrecht Reimold.
“We plan to exploit future technologies and innovations in order to make our processes more efficient.”
For his part, Schuler CEO, Domenico Lacovelli added: “By dovetailing design, development, car body planning, toolmaking and production within the Porsche Group, we can significantly influence the quality of our sports cars.”
“Porsche and Schuler will be using a press shop that sets new standards in two respects – in terms of manufacturing performance, as well as the digital networking and readability of data streams along the entire production process.
“Not only Porsche will benefit from this major step forward, but ultimately other manufacturers as well.”
The joint venture will use Schuler’s new Servo 20 Technology. It raises maximum output from 18 to 20 strokes per minute while reducing energy consumption per stroke and part.
A newly developed die-changing concept makes it possible to produce small batch sizes. Further features of the new line include a servo drive in the downstream presses and a reduced footprint.
The joint venture will operate as an independent company held in equal proportions by Schuler and Porsche. Each of the two companies will invest an unspecified double-digit million euro amount in the joint venture.
The location of the new company has not been finalised.
