VDA Visit to Detroit: A Look Inside Our U.S. Facility

As part of her U.S. trip surrounding the 2026 Automotive News Congress, Hildegard Müller, President of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) e.V., along with Jan Boesche, Director of Trade Policy at the VDA in Washington, visited LAEPPLE AUTOMOTIVE US in Detroit.

During a tour of our Mt. Elliott plant, they gained a firsthand look at our on-site operations. There, we manufacture body parts for major U.S. automakers. The discussion focused on our plans and the challenges we face in both Germany and the U.S.

The visit coincided with a special milestone for LAEPPLE Automotive: At the end of September 2024, we had announced the establishment of our U.S. production operations at the historic Mt. Elliott plant. This September, we are thus looking back on two years in North America, along with this special exchange on the transformation of the automotive industry on both sides of the Atlantic.

For German small and medium-sized companies, the situation is challenging: markets and operating conditions are changing, and investment decisions must be made in uncertain times. At the same time, the importance of an international presence is growing. Our experiences in Detroit bring these developments into sharp focus.