Moving Your World, Embracing Future Change with Agility: 2023 VOLKSWAGEN & FUCHS Technology Conference Concludes Successfully
On September 12, the first VOLKSWAGEN & FUCHS Technology Conference was held in Shanghai, where Isabelle Adelt, Member of the Executive Board and CFO of FUCHS SE, Zhu Qingping, Member of FUCHS Group Management Committee and CEO of FUCHS China, and Kris Van Gasse, CTO of FUCHS China, had an in-depth exchange of views with partners from various VOLKSWAGEN entities in China to enhance communication and cooperation between the two companies.
In his opening remarks, Zhu Qingping expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the VOLKSWAGEN partners for their long-standing support and trust, and pledged to make all-out efforts to make FUCHS “stronger, faster and more China-oriented”, and to upgrade its products, technologies, brand and services across the board to better serve the VOLKSWAGEN Group.
Kris Van Gasse, together with Cheng Ying, Vice President of Quality Assurance and Sustainability at FUCHS China, presented a comprehensive analysis and explanation of FUCHS “in China, for China” strategy, the “3L” strategy and the Group’s sustainability performance and goals.
Philipp Niemax, Head of Global Business Segment OEM VW Group from FUCHS SE, and Oscar Xie, Sales Vice President Auto-OEM of FUCHS China, provided the partners from Volkswagen with a deeper insight into FUCHS current position and future development in new energy and R&D innovation, and reviewed the history of cooperation between the two companies in China.
The partnership between VOLKSWAGEN and FUCHS in China began in 1988 when FUCHS Lubricants (Yingkou) Co., Ltd. joined Shanghai Santana Community as the exclusive supplier of first-fill engine oils. Since then, FUCHS has become the exclusive or preferred supplier of first-fill and aftermarket engine oils and transmission oils to multiple VOLKSWAGEN entities in China, while also providing one-stop lubrication solutions including equipment oils, metal processing oils/fluids, cleaning agents, solid wax, door wax, etc., for many VOLKSWAGEN plants.
The meeting was also attended by Professor Zhang Shuqiao, Senior Manager of Manufacturing at SAIC VOLKSWAGEN and adjunct Associate Professor at Tongji University, who in his speech described the differences between the manufacturing processes of fossil fuel vehicles and new energy vehicles (NEVs) as well as VOLKSWAGEN green manufacturing vision, further defining VOLKSWAGEN Group’s net zero carbon goal by 2050.
In the afternoon, FUCHS R&D experts updated the VOLKSWAGEN partners on the latest developments of FUCHS in NEV thermal management fluids, high-performance wet-type drive axle oils, car body stamping and cavity rust protection, grease applications and the Yingkou 3C plant. The VOLKSWAGEN partners expressed their appreciation for FUCHS local R&D capabilities in lubricant technology, and their great expectations for future collaborations.
The Technology Conference cemented the foundation for further cooperation between FUCHS and VOLKSWAGEN. The two companies will work closely together on technological innovation, product R&D and market development to accelerate the development of China’s automotive as well as lubricants industries. FUCHS will strive to move the world of VOLKSWAGEN and navigate the changes ahead!