Volkswagen Group
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| Volkswagen Group
<tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align:center; padding:16px 0 16px 0;">Image:Vw logo.jpg</td></tr> | |
| Type | Public (Xetra: VOW) (FWB: VOW) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1937 |
| Headquarters | Wolfsburg, Germany
<tr><th style="text-align:right; padding-right:0.75em;">Key people</th><td>Bernd Pischetsrieder, Chairman</td></tr><tr><th style="text-align:right; padding-right:0.75em;">Industry</th><td>Auto and Truck Manufacturers</td></tr><tr><th style="text-align:right; padding-right:0.75em;">Products</th><td>Auto and Truck Manufacturers</td></tr><tr><th style="text-align:right; padding-right:0.75em;">Revenue</th><td>Image:Green Arrow Up.svg €95,268 billion (2005)</td></tr><tr><th style="text-align:right; padding-right:0.75em;">Operating income</th><td>Image:Green Arrow Up.svg € ? billion (2005)</td></tr><tr><th style="text-align:right; padding-right:0.75em;">Net income</th><td>Image:Green Arrow Up.svg €3,143 billion (2005)</td></tr><tr><th style="text-align:right; padding-right:0.75em;">Employees</th><td>344,902 (2005)</td></tr><tr><th style="text-align:right; padding-right:0.75em;">Subsidiaries</th><td>Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, Škoda, Volkswagen</td></tr><tr><th style="text-align:right; padding-right:0.75em;">Slogan</th><td>Aus Liebe zum Automobil (For the Love of the Car)</td></tr><tr><th style="text-align:right; padding-right:0.75em;">Website</th><td>Volkswagen International</td></tr> |
Volkswagen Group (DE0007664005) (TYO: 7659 ) is a German automobile manufacturer and one of the largest automotive companies worldwide. Its core market is the European Union and its major subsidiaries include well-known brands like Audi, Bentley, Škoda, Lamborghini, SEAT and the brand Volkswagen itself.
Volkswagen's second-largest market is China where its subsidiary, Volkswagen Group China is by far the largest foreign automaker.
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[edit] History
VW was founded in 1937 as a public concern by the then Nazi government to sell the Volkswagen Beetle. After the Second World War in 1945, the British Army took control of the bomb-shattered factory and restarted Beetle production for the difficult post-war years which Germany had to face. In 1948, the British Government handed the company back over to the German state, where it was managed by ex-Opel chief Heinrich Nordhoff.
In 1960, upon the floatation of part of the German federal government's stake in the company on the German stock market, its name became Volkswagenwerk Aktiengesellschaft (Aktiengesellschaft, abbreviated AG, being equivalent to the English Corp[oration] or American Inc[orporated]). The name was changed to VOLKSWAGEN AG on 4th July 1985, to reflect the company's increasing global diversification from its headquarters and main plant, the Volkswagenwerk in Wolfsburg, Germany. The corporation now goes by that name or occasionally 'Volkswagen Group' in non-German speaking markets, and is currently the fourth largest car-manufacturer in the world. In 2005 VW sold more than 5.2 million vehicles, which equals a 9.1 share of the world market.
In October 2005, Porsche acquired an 18.53% stake in the business. And in July they increased their ownership to little over 25%. This was presumably done to prevent a foreign takeover, according to press reports. Nonetheless, many commentators argued that this stake fits well to the strategy Porsche has.
[edit] Leadership
- 1945-1948 — Ivan Hirst
- 1948-1967 — Heinrich Nordhoff
- 1968-1971 — Kurt Lotz
- 1971-1975 — Rudolf Leiding
- 1975-1982 — Toni Schmucker
- 1982-1993 — Carl Hahn
- 1993-2002 — Ferdinand Piëch
- April 16, 2002-present — Bernd Pischetsrieder
[edit] Brands
The company owns seven brands, which are organized into two groups or branches.
The Audi branch consists of
The Volkswagen branch consists of
- Volkswagen (D)
- Bentley (GB)
- Škoda (CZ)
- Bugatti (F)
- Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (D)
These brands have been discontinued by VW:
Volkswagen is also the largest shareholder in Scania AB with a capital stake of 16.5% and a voting stake of 33.4%
On October 4th, 2006, Volkswagen acquired a 15.1% stake in German truck maker MAN AG, later increased to 20%, who had launched an offer to acquire Scania. VW ultimately plans to hold 30% - 1 share in MAN AG. Volkswagen CEO Bernd Pischetsrieder plans to organise a merger or takeover of Scania and VW's own Brazilian heavy truck division by/with MAN AG to create the largest European Truckmaker. Due to VW's stakes in MAN and Scania, it is expected that VW will have a blocking minority stake of at least 25.1% in the merged entity.
[edit] Investors
Institutional Investors in Volkswagen AG are:
- Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG 27.4%
- State of Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony) 18,10%
- Brandes Investment Partners 8,58%
- General Capital Group 4,90%
- Capital Group Companies Inc. 3,50%
It is speculated that truckmaker MAN AG intends on acquiring a 10% stake in Volkswagen so as to further cement their relationship with VW. MAN is said to be looking at the stake buy so as to find further synergies between themselves and VW, while as to also increase their influence in any future VW/Scania/MAN combined truck maker. VW is said to be interested in this stake buy as it will provide VW with another stable shareholder which will help defend the company against any possible takeovers when the controversial "VW Law" is nullified by the EU.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Volkswagen Corporate
- Audi USA
- Bentley English
- Bugatti English
- Lamborghini English
- SEAT Global (in English)
- Škoda Global (in English)
- Volkswagen USA
- French fans website on Volkswagen AG
- Russian Auto Hand Made
- Official Porsche Website
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