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SPEED+ Award 2025: Efficiency Champions of the Volkswagen Group Components Production Sites Honored
Experte: Michael Jung | 08/11/2025 | Teilen auf in
The SPEED+ Award is the global, annual efficiency competition for the production sites of Volkswagen Group Components. In May 2025, the company honored the winners from 21 plants in ten countries who took part in the prestigious contest for the best ideas and most efficient solutions. At the award ceremony in the panoramic cinema of the Autostadt in Wolfsburg, representatives from the following plants took to the winners’ podium:
- Category “Holistic Productivity Management”: 1st place VWED Changchun, 2nd place VWED Dalian, 3rd place VWATJ Tianjin
- Category “Lean Leadership”: 1st place El Prat, 2nd place VWED Dalian, 3rd place VWATJ Tianjin
- Category “KVP 4.0 People & Digitalization”: 1st place VWED Dalian & Changchun, 2nd place Györ, 3rd place VWATJ Tianjin
- Category “Environment”: 1st place VWED Changchun, 2nd place VWED Dalian, 3rd place Motor Polska
- Category “Diversity”: 1st place Salzgitter, 2nd place Cordoba, 3rd place Chemnitz
EFESO success model: strong results for nearly a decade
The SPEED+ Award was launched almost ten years ago as part of a joint project between the Volkswagen Group and EFESO. In his guest speech at this year’s SPEED+ Award, Michael Jung, Senior Vice President at EFESO Management Consultants and co-initiator of the award, reflected on the remarkable history of the competition:
“The original idea – to make the performance of the plants transparent and improve it according to the principle of a ‘Bundesliga for factories’ – was met with great approval not only by management. From day one, the teams at the sites were highly motivated to contribute improvement suggestions, bring their plant to the top of the table, and keep it there. This continuity of commitment and the consistently high quality of the ideas contributed each year to enhance collective performance truly merit special recognition.”
Michael Jung, EFESO Management Consultants, at the event in Wolfsburg
“The enthusiasm of employees for this and similar competitions with a sporting character is not sustained by a benchmark table alone. It must be supported by additional measures that create a framework for orientation – such as classic checks and controlling tools,” adds Dr. Michael Breitling, Expert Director at EFESO Management Consultants, as advice for similar projects.
“In this way, we work with our clients to check whether everything is going according to plan and whether the key figures are correct. In addition, we assess up to 80 criteria covering various aspects: How has the methodology evolved? Was there a leadership buy-in? Were the improvements in the production lines tracked all the way up to plant management so that they could see which measures were effective? In this way, quantitative development can also be measured and evaluated using hard KPIs.”
With the SPEED+ Award, the automotive manufacturer has energized his global plant structures and work routines. From the outset, playfulness, motivation, and team spirit have been at the forefront. It is fascinating to see how market-shaping topics such as digitalization, robotics, and new leadership concepts are reflected in the internal projects – and thus also in the company’s transformation. For Michael Jung, who once again supported the SPEED+ Award project as a consultant this year, the award ceremony is therefore a fixed date in his annual calendar. Oliver Blume, CEO of the Volkswagen Group, also emphasized the positive impact of the award:
“Especially in times of change, clear leadership and lean processes are key to success. Lean leadership enables us to work more efficiently with our teams, respond more quickly to change, and foster sustained high engagement. This year’s SPEED+ Award showcases outstanding results from which we can all benefit. Our unique global network offers us tremendous opportunities to learn from one another and roll out best practices worldwide in all directions.”
From left to right: Dr. Christian Vollmer, Board Member of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand responsible for Production; Thomas Schmall, Member of the Group Board of Management for Technology and CEO of Volkswagen Group Components; Dr. Ludwig Fazel, Chief Operating Officer of Volkswagen Group Components
“To achieve our productivity targets, we are focusing specifically on automation and digitalization in production. By leveraging synergies within the Group, we can also operate more efficiently and with greater flexibility,” said Dr. Christian Vollmer. “Together, vehicle manufacturing and components can respond more quickly to market changes and implement innovative technologies. With modern, digital solutions, we secure our competitiveness and continuously advance our production technologies.”
Dr. Ludwig Fazel, Chief Operating Officer of Volkswagen Group Components, emphasized the integrative and pioneering role of the award across countries and plant boundaries: “For me, the SPEED+ Award is a compass for our international production network. It provides a platform for exchange, methodological expertise, and scaling best practices. Our plants are diverse, and our challenges are varied – but that is precisely where our strength lies. We are constantly evolving, whether in axle assembly, battery production, or large-scale casting. With digital solutions, global exchange, and a clear focus on environmental protection and efficiency, I am confident that our plants will successfully shape the future of components.”
As the commitment of the plant teams continues to drive concrete improvements, the next round of the award is already underway. The EFESO team congratulates the winners of the SPEED+ Award and looks forward to seeing the solutions with which employees’ innovative strength will be recognized worldwide in the future.
