BPF Porsche Factory Tour 2025 Sponsored by Aquapurge
Between the 5-6 June 2025 the British Plastics Federation organised a tour to the Porsche Factory in Stuttgart, Germany. The Tour which was sponsored by Aquapurge included participation from a number of moulders in the Federation including McLaren Plastics, Goodfish Ltd, Masona Plastics, Bespack, Rutland Plastics, JSP, Greif UK Plastics Ltd and Data Plastics.
"What an unforgettable experience with such an exceptional group of people! The meticulously planned visit, expertly organised by the BPF, truly set the stage for a remarkable day. Exploring the Porsche Museum was nothing short of inspiring, with every exhibit showcasing the brand's legacy of precision, innovation, and excellence.
What stood out most was the factory tour—an impressive blend of tradition and modernity. Witnessing Porsche's non-automation approach to takt time was a revelation. It’s astonishing how they’ve harnessed this method to craft a world-class product like the 911, with such attention to detail and consistency across its many iconic variations. This seamless balance between human craftsmanship and calculated efficiency undoubtedly solidifies Porsche’s position as a market leader. Every moment of the visit felt like peeling back the layers of genius, and left me with an even deeper admiration for the brand and the team that drives its success."
John Steadman, Technical Director, Aquapurge
The group gather outside the Porsche Factory and Museum
The tour followed in the wake of the first BPF Mould Tour which took place in 2024 to the Lego factory in Billund, Denmark.
The tour started on the evening of the 5th June where BPF members joined members of EUROMAP (the European association for plastics and rubber machinery) for a private tour of the Porsche museum. This was followed by sun downers and a buffet at the top of the roof of the Porsche Museum. Presentations were provided by Thorsten Kuehmann (Head of EUROMAP) and Prof. Dr. Andrea Wechsler (member of the European Parliament - EPP faction).
The group tour the Porsche Museum and network with participants of the EUROMAP General Assembly 2025
The following day members gathered for a presentation by Dr Thomas Walther (Director of Process Development at ARBURG GmbH + Co KG) who presented on the Production Efficiency and Automation in Injection Moulding.
Presentation by Dr Thomas Walther of Arburg
Following this companies were taken on a tour of the Porsche factory (NOTE: no photos are available as phones strictly off limits!) to watch models of the Porche 911 take the seven hour journey along a production line to appear as a fully assembled unit.
“It was great to meet other people from within the plastics and just talk about plastic and our various challenges with others. The tour itself was perfect and everything was well organised”
Jann Schwedka, JSP
“It was good to meet fellow plastic people from within the industry - especially as some of those came from a broad area of expertise and knowledge.”
James Stonebridge, Data Plastics
“I don’t get out much! And this tour made me realise I should do it more. I found the whole thing incredibly useful. Everyone was incredibly welcoming and friendly and I will definitely be looking to do more similar events in the future”
Vicki Howe, Rutland Plastics
Keep an eye in the newsletter for future Mould Tours and other benchmarking tours organised by the BPF.
