MATRADE Partners with Volkswagen Group and VFL Wolfsburg to Champion Sustainable & Responsible Procurement in The Area of E-Mobility
TUESDAY, 23 MAY 2023, FRANKFURT: Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) through its Frankfurt office collaborated with Volkswagen Group and its football club, VfL Wolfsburg, to organise a webinar called "Accelerating e-mobility: Insights from Volkswagen Group for Malaysian Companies," aimed at exploring the latest trends, technologies, and procurement strategies by Volkswagen Group, as well as social partnerships with VfL Wolfsburg as a market entry strategy.
The webinar organised on 19 May 2023, was attended by 115 participants who came from various automotive-related industries in Malaysia. The event was opened by a speech delivered by Dirk Große-Loheide, Member of the Volkswagen Brand Board, Procurement Division, Head of Group Purchasing, and Member of the Extended Group Management of Volkswagen Group. The keynote address was delivered by YB Senator Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, Minister of Investment Trade and Industry of Malaysia.
In his speech, Große-Loheide shared that the change in decarbonised, electrified and digitalised mobility is currently taking place in all of Volkswagen’s brands worldwide. "For us in the procurement group, this change also means a realignment of all our tasks in many places. We need to source components that are entirely new to our industry and thus also integrate new partners in our highly complex supply chain;" he said.
"Malaysia is of paramount importance when it comes to future technology because you are already very strong in one area in particular — microchips. With a 1.5 per cent share of global chip production, Malaysia could meet Volkswagen Group’s entire demand, which is about 1 per cent of the worldwide production volume," he added.
Meanwhile, YB Senator Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul during his speech iterated on Malaysia’s commitment to transform the industry in aligning with the sustainability agenda. "In addition to the 12th Malaysia Plan, the National Trade Blueprint (NTBp) was also launched to increase Malaysia’s trade competitiveness through an improved business ecosystem. There are eight strategic thrusts under the blueprint and one of them is Pursuing Sustainability & Innovation. One of the initiatives under this thrust is the greening of the global supply chain which includes engagement with industry associations, foreign business councils, and chamber of commerce, to create a seamless development and green growth strategy between buyers and sellers," he shared.
"Moving forward, by the end of this year, the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), will announce the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030) which encompasses building resilience and capacity for change, and introducing a National Environmental, Social and Governance Industry Framework (i-ESG) for the manufacturing sector," YB Senator Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul said.
As one of the leading automotive companies in the world, Volkswagen Group has a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the field of e-mobility. During the webinar, Volkswagen Group, represented by Till Von Bothmer, Senior Vice President Group Purchasing Powertrain of Volkswagen Group, shared Volkswagen’s procurement strategy for the future of mobility.
The other speakers at the webinar were Andreas Kruse, Vice Director of International Sponsoring, VfL Wolfsburg, who presented a topic titled ‘Social Partnership for Market Access: VfL Wolfsburg Experience," and Yaamuna Aldragen, Sales and Business Development Consultant of Smartlink Engineering Sdn Bhd who shared the company’s diversification journey to be Volkswagen’s supplier. Smartlink is currently listed as Volkswagen Group’s Tier 1 supplier and is a MATRADE’s Mid-Tier Companies Development Programme participant.
The webinar was moderated by Zuhaila Sedek, Trade Commissioner of MATRADE Frankfurt, and was closed by a remark delivered by Her Excellency Dr. Adina Kamarudin, the Malaysian Ambassador to Germany.
With a vibrant economy and thriving automotive industry, Malaysia holds immense potential to contribute to this global shift towards e-mobility. It is crucial for Malaysian companies to stay ahead of the curve and explore opportunities in this dynamic sector while at the same time understanding the requirements for sustainable and responsible procurement practices by global conglomerates like Volkswagen Group.
By highlighting the importance of this topic for Malaysian companies, MATRADE seeks to emphasise the immense opportunities that lie within the area of sustainable transportation. From electric vehicles to charging infrastructure and beyond, e-mobility presents a promising avenue for Malaysian businesses to drive innovation, foster collaboration, and create a greener future for generations to come.
