Volkswagen Celebrates Top Suppliers at 21st Group Awards and Unveils “Mission: Possible” Collaboration Forum

Volkswagen Celebrates Top Suppliers at 21st Group Awards and Unveils “Mission: Possible” Collaboration Forum

(IN BRIEF) In Wolfsburg, Volkswagen AG celebrated its 21st Group Award, honoring ten suppliers whose innovations, resilience, and strategic support have driven the automaker’s performance and future-readiness. The preceding “Mission: Possible” Supplier Management Conference convened 120 key partners to discuss new sourcing projects and cooperation models aimed at bolstering transparency and collaboration. Suppliers were recognized across categories such as Product, Operational Excellence, Transformation, Sustainability, and more, highlighting achievements from rapid battery component development and semiconductor supply resilience to the shift toward electromobility and proactive low-carbon practices. Volkswagen’s leadership underscored the critical role of these partnerships as the company prepares to launch over 30 models in 2025.

(PRESS RELEASE) WOLFSBURG, 3-Jul-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Wolfsburg hosted the 21st annual Volkswagen Group Award ceremony, where top-performing suppliers were celebrated for their exceptional achievements and steadfast collaboration over the past year. Ahead of the awards gala, Volkswagen AG invited roughly 120 principal suppliers to the Autostadt for its Supplier Management Conference under the theme “Mission: Possible.” Attendees engaged in forward-looking discussions on upcoming sourcing initiatives and explored innovative cooperation frameworks aimed at enhancing transparency and reinforcing partnerships amid growing complexity.

Collaboration across the supply chain remains central to Volkswagen’s strategy, leveraging external expertise in development, operations, and innovation. By fostering long-term relationships, the Group combines global scale with local agility, building an industrial ecosystem that addresses diverse customer and market demands. “Looking ahead, our network will face both significant challenges and tremendous opportunities,” remarked Dirk Große-Loheide, Member of the Extended Executive Committee and Board of Management for Procurement at Volkswagen Brand. “The Group Award underlines our dedication to operational excellence, strategic alignment throughout our supplier base, and forming future-ready, performance-driven alliances. With over 30 new models slated for 2025 across multiple regions, brands, and technologies, close collaboration with our partners is more critical than ever,” he added.

At the heart of the ceremony were ten strategic award categories reflecting Volkswagen’s Procurement Strategy and performance program. Honorees were recognized for achievements ranging from robust risk management and swift solution rollouts to strategic involvement in global projects and contributions to the shift toward electrified offerings.

Awards were personally presented by members of the Board of Management and procurement sponsors:

• Product: Magna International Inc. received the award for its rapid co-development and industrialization of a sophisticated battery cover, presented by Oliver Blume and Michael Kerschensteiner.
• Operational Excellence: Texas Instruments Incorporated was honored for its resilient semiconductor supply strategies and forward-looking production investments, with Hauke Stars and Bernd Zielke presenting.
• Transformation: Astemo Ltd. was recognized for evolving from a combustion-engine supplier to an electromobility partner, awarded by Thomas Schmall and Simone Grote.
• People & Organization: Gestamp Automoción, S.A. earned praise for sustained strategic alignment and partnership strength, with Dirk Große-Loheide and Turgay Yetim presenting.
• Costs: Huizhou Desay SV Automotive Co., Ltd. was commended for cost-effective, reliable vehicle display systems across multiple brands, presented by Ralf Brandstätter and Volker Lages.
• Local Hero: Quality Plated Plastics overcame a major fire to ensure uninterrupted supply, receiving its award from Werner Tietz and Stefan Tägtmeyer.
• Resilient Supply Chains: Aptiv PLC was lauded for enhancing supply chain resilience through advanced risk management, with Arno Antlitz and Martin Fries presenting.
• Brands & Regions: Vodafone Group Plc integrated regional strategies into global operations seamlessly, awarded by Thomas Schäfer and Maik Roßdeutscher.
• Sustainability: Steel Dynamics was recognized for its proactive low-carbon steel production and circular economy initiatives, with Manfred Döss and Stefan Kühne presenting.
• Supplier Management: Valeo S.A. received accolades for sensor-technology innovation and proactive cost and process optimization, presented by Dirk Große-Loheide and Stefan Gramse.

About the Volkswagen Group:
The Volkswagen Group is one of the world’s leading car makers, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. It operates globally, with 115 production facilities in 17 European countries and 10 countries in the Americas, Asia and Africa. With around 680,000 employees worldwide. The Group’s vehicles are sold in over 150 countries.

With a comprehensive portfolio of strong global brands, leading technologies at scale, innovative ideas to tap into future profit pools and an entrepreneurial leadership team, the Volkswagen Group is committed to shaping the future of mobility through investments in electric and autonomous driving vehicles, digitalization and sustainability. The goal: As a “Global Automotive Tech Driver”, to make the best automotive technologies accessible to customers worldwide – from entry-level mobility to the luxury segment.

In 2024, the total number of vehicles delivered to customers by the Group globally was 9.0 million (2023: 9.2 million). Group sales revenue in 2024 totaled EUR 324.7 billion (2023: EUR 322.3 billion). The operating result in 2024 amounted to EUR 19.1 billion (2023: EUR 22.5 billion).

Media c Contacts:

Nicolai Laude
Corporate Communications
Head of Sustainability and Integrity Communications
+49 (0) 152 2912 2517
nicolai.laude@volkswagen.de | www.volkswagen-group.com

Veronika Klofcova
Corporate Communications
Spokesperson Procurement
+420 731 296 057
veronika.klofcova@skoda-auto.cz | www.skoda-auto.com

SOURCE: Volkswagen