Krakow plant: a strong partner for the main plant in Munich

A new building for the construction of cabs, a new hall for truck modifications, new warehouses and staff rooms, a significantly higher capacity, and extensive technical improvements: the MAN plant in Krakow has seen its size increased by around a third, now covering 41 hectares – that’s around 60 football pitches.

Previously, the site had only produced the heavy range of trucks, but in the future the plant will also handle the light- and medium-weight ranges. Now that the work has been completed, Krakow can build around 300 vehicles and cabs a day, running three shifts, trebling its previous capacity. A new pellet-fired heating plant has also been installed to contribute towards the site’s planned carbon-neutral status. The group is investing some € 200 million to make its Polish plant fit for the future.

Looking back: planned transformation

The first foundations of the extension were laid in January 2022. The ceremony was attended by many employees, together with Alexander Vlaskamp, CEO of MAN Truck & Bus, Michael Kobriger, MAN executive board member responsible for production and logistics and delegates from the worlds of politics and the economy.

Alexander Vlaskamp, MAN CEO, said, “The expansion of the plant is a key building block in MAN’s transformation. We have completely restructured our production network. This will make us significantly more competitive in these challenging times.”

The creation of some 1,500 new jobs means that the site now employs around three times as many staff as before the expansion, a total of more than 2,600 people. So, 15 years after it first opened, the newest plant in the truck production network is continuing its success story as a high-performance manufacturing site and a top employer.

“Krakow is a highly efficient site with highly qualified employees. Here, around two thirds of all MAN trucks and HGV cabs will be assembled to the highest quality standards. Our modified trucks also mean that we can tailor vehicles individually to the needs of our customers,” said Michael Kobriger, MAN board member responsible for production.

This expansion work saw the construction of a new 32,000 m² hall for cab production and another 10,000 m2 hall for the Truck Modification Center and final assembly. The key certifications and approvals have been successfully completed. Intensive training for new employees on the equipment and tools took place at the Munich plant and ensures shared standards within the production network.

Customers are also enthusiastic

The first customers have now been able to catch a glimpse of production at the site. The first group of customers from Poland, Asia and elsewhere enjoyed an exciting visit. After all, nothing is more convincing than a peek behind the curtain at the actual production of the trucks. An important point for these first customers was, of course, standardised and consistent quality. MAN guarantees this by ensuring that the same rules apply to all the plants within the network, for example the same quality standards, the same technical documentation, and the same audit criteria.

The modified vehicles, built to order for customers in the Truck Modification Center (TMC), especially caught the eye. The customers’ views were unanimous: it’s a real flagship plant.