In the latest press release from Porsche CEO Oliver Blume answered a few questions from his team. In his own words:
“I’m in the office. I think it’s important that I’m on site as the CEO, and that people know where to find me when they need me. Of course, most meetings and discussions are now taking place via video conferencing and calls. At the same time, there are mandatory activities that have to be carried out at Porsche – in compliance with all safety measures.”
“The most important thing for us is that the supply chains can be rebuilt as soon as possible. We are less dependent on China than we are on our European neighbours. In this respect, I hope that we as a society will manage to contain the coronavirus and that we will then receive a signal at European level as to when we can all restart production.”
Can you help with procurement of materials?
“We are currently clarifying with the state government which components are required. They range from protective goggles to respiratory masks. For highly specialised medical products, you have to comply with the legal requirements and certifications. Here, the lead must lie with the medical technology specialists, who could then delegate orders to the automotive industry.”
“Our 3D printers are available in any case. As a first step, we have already forwarded protective clothing from our stocks to the state government. And together with our parent company, Volkswagen, we are participating in the procurement of further equipment on a large scale, especially from China. We must also ensure that we look beyond the medical sector and recognise where our help is needed.”
“We are supporting the food banks at our locations this year with 200,000 euros. In addition, we have made an offer to certain charitable organisations to provide vehicles with drivers, perhaps where there is a bottleneck in the transport of relief supplies or people. We have also increased donations from Porsche AG by five million Euros. This amount will be used to support local organisations and people who are in need as a result of the coronavirus crisis. Our employees also help personally and voluntarily with the charitable organisations at our locations.”