Summary
- Tesla’s head of manufacturing in Germany addressed various topics including Elon Musk’s political alignment, trade war concerns, struggling sales, and security measures against vandalism.
- The company remains focused on producing high-quality vehicles and has not positioned itself politically.
- Giga Berlin has improved security measures following arson attacks and is prepared to respond quickly to any future incidents.
- Sales decline in February was attributed to production of the new Model Y, which required a brief shutdown.
- Tesla’s factory in Berlin has increased localization of suppliers to reduce reliance on world trade disruptions and has not experienced production disruptions due to various challenges in recent years.
Article
Tesla’s Gigafactory in Grünheide, Germany recently celebrated its third anniversary, and the head of manufacturing for the facility, Andre Thierig, addressed various topics in an interview with a German news outlet. He mentioned that the company is not concerned about Elon Musk’s political alignment with President Donald Trump, emphasizing that Tesla is focused on building great vehicles and does not involve itself in politics. Thierig also discussed security measures following arson attacks by environmental activists last March, stating that the factory has improved its network for sharing information to respond quickly to such incidents.
Thierig also addressed Tesla’s decline in sales in Germany in February, attributing it to the shift in production to the new Model Y. He pointed out that the factory had to shut down production for a few days to make this transition. Thierig stated that the focus of the factory is on production, while sales figures are the responsibility of the sales division. He mentioned that the factory has increased localization of suppliers, with 92 percent of components for the Model Y now coming from Europe, making Tesla more resilient to disruptions in world trade.
In response to questions about potential tariffs from the Trump administration, Thierig highlighted the high level of localization of suppliers and vertical integration at the factory, which has helped avoid production disruptions during various challenges such as the pandemic and chip crisis. He also discussed Giga Berlin’s expansion plans, addressing criticism from the union IG Metall, expectations from the incoming federal government, and the need to reduce bureaucracy in the country. Thierig, who has been with Tesla since 2020, previously worked at Ford’s German operations.
Overall, Thierig emphasized that Giga Berlin remains focused on production and making high-quality vehicles, regardless of the political climate. The factory has taken measures to improve security following past incidents and has increased localization of suppliers to mitigate potential disruptions in world trade. Thierig’s experience at Ford and his tenure at Tesla provide him with a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing the electric vehicle industry in Germany. Tesla’s commitment to innovation and production efficiency at Giga Berlin reflects a strong dedication to advancing sustainable transportation solutions in the region.
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