Hirschvogel Marksuhl Receives Automotive Lean Production Award
The Hirschvogel production site in Marksuhl will receive the Automotive Lean Production Award 2026 in the ‘Lean Transformation’ category. It stood out amongst the competition in the European benchmark study conducted by Agamus Consult and the trade magazine Automobil Produktion. The award ceremony will take place at the 20th Automotive Lean Production Congress from November 24 to 25, 2026 at the Porsche plant in Leipzig.
Hirschvogel, a global component manufacturer, not only produces steel parts for the automotive industry at its site in Thuringia, Germany, but, for the past 25 years, has also been manufacturing auto components made of aluminum there, too. To enable the development of modern, fuel-efficient, or long-range vehicle concepts, demand is growing in the industry for lightweight aluminum vehicle components that can be designed in a variety of geometries. This change in demand is reflected in the site’s two production areas.
In light of shifting market potential and fierce international competition, the Group decided in 2023 to strategically realign the Marksuhl site and transform the character of added value creation there. This involved an almost complete overhaul of the plant layout. Some of the steel presses were converted for aluminum forging, production was systematically aligned with the value stream, and Hirschvogel’s role as a technical pioneer was reinforced – for example, with the startup of an aluminum long-part press. The result is lean, highly automated production that leverages the opportunities offered by digitalization where they are most beneficial for employees, for instance in the areas of tool management or machine maintenance.
The Hirschvogel site in Marksuhl has positioned itself for the future. “We are extremely pleased that the performance and the willingness to embrace change demonstrated by the team at the Marksuhl site have earned them the recognition of the jury in the form of a Lean Production Award,” says Dr. Davis Fata, COO at the Hirschvogel Group. “It will be an honor for us to accept the award in the ‘Lean Transformation’ category during the congress on November 24 and 25, 2026, at the Porsche plant in Leipzig.” Plant Manager Dr. Winfried Blümel is also delighted with this success, which came as a pleasant surprise to the team. “It serves as motivation to continue improving along the path we have set out on.”
Fig. 1 : Hirschvogel employees in Marksuhl are delighted about this special award in recognition of their team performance. © Hirschvogel Holding GmbH
Fig. 2 : The Hirschvogel award winners with the auditors from Agamus Consult, from left: Christian Mlynek, Sebastian Körtge, Dr. Werner Geiger (Agamus), Dr. Winfried Blümel, Nikolaj Schmitt (Agamus), Patrick Pohl, and Hendrik Mertens. © Hirschvogel Holding GmbH