Sharper profile

IVM AUTOMOTIVE After the takeover of IVM Automotive by Edscha in the summer of 2002, nine in-house teams worked to raise the profile and structure of the vehicle de- signer. The results have been implemented since May 2003.

The ability to respond even more quickly and efficiently than before to customer requirements – this was the inten-

tion of the Vehicle Design business division (IVM Automotive) and also the reason for its new organizational structure. Their aim: consistent use of specialized know-how and resources throughout all locations.

Since May 2003, IVM Automotive has been subdivided into five business fields: Complete Vehicle Development, Design, Vehicle Body and Interior, Samples and Prototype Manufacturing, and System Development and Integration, with the latter comprising the segments Calculation and Simulation, Electrics and Electronics, Engine/Drivetrain/ Chassis, and Testing.

MATRIX RELOADED

IVM Automotive will continue to focus in the future too on developing complex modules and complete vehicles including project control and coordination. The new feature: every

ly being analyzed from Edscha’s French loca- tion, at Les Ulis.

“The new matrix organization forges links between locations that have previously worked largely independently of each other. This will create synergies with which IVM Automotive will continue to expand its market position”, says Managing Director Ulrich Mellinghoff, commenting on the reorganization of the 1,000 or so engineers and technicians in Germany. “As an efficient engineering partner, we will also be offering to a greater extent contents to the OEM as opposed to external capacity reserves. That will make the use of our services easier to plan for our customers – both OEM and system manufacturers – from the cost angle”, says the former BMW manager. The positive responses from the customers confirm that the vehicle designers are on the right track with

this new setup. Christina Kaulhausen
PRECURSORS

Ulrich Mellinghoff (53, left) has been the spokesman of the management since March

2003 and is in charge of the Sales and Engineering fields. He is assisted by Frank Braun (43), who as managing director has been in charge of the commercial aspects and the locations since April 2003.

location will have access to the know-how and services of all the business fields on the spot; the skills available in every single business field will however be concentrated at a central location and coordinated from there. The business field Complete Vehicle Development for example is located at Bad Frie-

drichshall; Design and Electrics and Electronics are mainly at the Rhine-Main location; Vehicle Body and Interior, Samples and Prototype Manufacturing, and Engine/Drive- train/Chassis predominantly in Bad Frie- drichshall; and Calculation and Simulation plus Testing in Ingolstadt. Sales and Customer Support operate on the basis of key accounts for all locations. The opportunities for IVM Automotive on the French market are current-

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

Locations

 

Business areas

 

Key accounts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wolfsburg

 

■ Complete Vehicle

 

VW

 

 

 

 

 

 

Development

 

 

Rhein-Main

 

 

Ford, Opel

 

 

 

 

 

■ Design

 

 

Bad Friedrichshall

 

 

 

 

Stuttgart

 

■ Vehicle Body and Interior

 

DaimlerChrysler, Porsche

Sindelfingen

 

■ Samples and Prototype

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Manufacturing

 

 

Ingolstadt

 

 

Audi, BMW

 

 

 

Munich

 

 

 

 

■ System Development

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and Integration

 

 

Les Ulis (France)

 

 

PSA, Renault

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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