Proudly manufacturing sophisticated and efficient body components and assemblies for the vehicles of tomorrow, GEDIA Automotive Group is ready for a mobile future. Michael Lehmann, CEO responsible for the North American business, and Markus Engelbertz, Chief Sales Officer and Board Member globally responsible for sales, hop in the driver’s seat and take us for a journey.
NEXT-GENERATION ENGINEERING
People have to be mobile to learn, work, and live. Mobility must also be sustainable; good for the environment, good for the climate, and good for people.
This is the mantra that GEDIA Automotive Group (GEDIA) abides by when pursuing next-generation engineering.
GEDIA is a German, family-owned company founded in 1910, with a strong global footprint spanning a century of engineering excellence. Today, the company operates manufacturing facilities across Germany, Poland, Spain, Hungary, China, India, Mexico, and the US, serving customers worldwide.
“Our core expertise lies in the development and production of high-quality structural body-in-white and chassis components and assemblies, utilizing advanced cold and hot stamping technologies and mastering all common joining technologies,” introduces Markus Engelbertz, Chief Sales Officer and Board Member.
“We place a special focus on safety-critical structural solutions, such as hot-formed and fully assembled B-pillars, which play a vital role in protecting drivers and passengers in the event of a side-impact crash.”
Globally, GEDIA employs approximately 4,700 people and supplies components to a wide variety of global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) as well as Tier 1 suppliers across multiple regions and vehicle platforms, making it a trusted long-term industry partner.
Michael Lehmann, CEO responsible for the North American business, joined the company in 2020, having grown up in Germany near GEDIA’s headquarters in Attendorn.
Now six years into his journey with the company and having experienced a range of challenging and successful situations, he can confidently say that GEDIA looks after all its stakeholders – employees, customers, suppliers, and shareholders alike.
This balanced approach is deeply rooted in the company’s guiding philosophy, the ‘3 Vs’, inspired by German words Vertrauen, Verantwortung, and Veränderungsbereitschaft, meaning trust, responsibility, and willingness to change.
“These principles are not just slogans; they actively shape how decisions are made and partnerships are built. Guided by these principles, we have established our own distinctive way of doing business, consistently striving for win-win solutions with all internal and external partners,” Lehmann explains.
This strong values-driven culture, combined with the company’s deep technical expertise in the development and production of high-quality structural automotive components, is a key factor that differentiates GEDIA.
“Our core expertise lies in the development and production of high-quality structural body-in-white and chassis components and assemblies, utilizing advanced cold and hot stamping technologies and mastering all common joining technologies”
Markus Engelbertz, Chief Sales Officer and Board Member, GEDIA Automotive Group
READY FOR THE NEXT CAR
Lehmann began his career in Germany, where he had the opportunity to develop a strong foundation in manufacturing and industrial operations.
Following this, he moved abroad, broadening his perspective and sparking a lasting interest in global business. Eventually, Lehmann moved to the US, where he began his professional career in the automotive industry as a Sales Manager before joining GEDIA in 2020, continuing his reign in the ever-exciting sector.
“The automotive manufacturing industry is inherently dynamic and resilient. Over the past 20 years, we have experienced significant highs and lows that have continuously reshaped the landscape,” Lehmann details.
More recently, the industry faced the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. For GEDIA, it dealt with stay-at-home orders that dramatically reduced workforce availability while customers demanded an uninterrupted supply. Balancing employee safety with business continuity became an immediate, daily challenge to overcome at the time.
Following this, the industry navigated the global semiconductor shortage and now faces ongoing geopolitical tensions, alongside major uncertainty surrounding the optimal powertrain strategy – whether electric, internal combustion, hybrid, or hydrogen.
“You must remain on your toes at all times in this market, anticipating risks while also being ready to seize opportunities as they arise. This constant need for adaptation, innovation, and strategic thinking is exactly what makes automotive manufacturing such a compelling space to work in today,” enthuses Lehmann.
SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE
GEDIA drives forward the sector through its various projects, two of which stand out as truly defining moments for the company, perfectly illustrating what its team is capable of achieving under extreme conditions.
One project is the recent short-term takeover program at the company’s facility in Dalton, Georgia (GA).
“Within an extremely compressed timeline of just 15 weeks, we successfully transferred seven existing hot-forming tools to our plant,” expands Lehmann.
“These tools required extensive refurbishment, and, in some cases, physical modification, including the design and construction of new and adapted laser and welding fixtures to enable full assembly of the finished components.”
With the project demanding intense cross-functional coordination, rapid engineering adjustments, and flawless execution under significant time pressure, the GEDIA team demonstrated outstanding commitment, going the extra mile to ensure customer satisfaction, quality, and performance delivery.
On a broader scale, the company’s state-of-the-art facility in Dalton is another flagship project reflecting GEDIA’s resilience and strength. It was initiated after the company was affected by a major cyberattack in 2020, followed immediately by the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite the resulting global supply chain disruptions, travel restrictions, workforce limitations, and health-related constraints, the facility was executed without missing a single milestone – a powerful testament to GEDIA’s ability to deliver large, complex industrial projects under the most demanding conditions.
“Together, these projects demonstrate our execution discipline, engineering flexibility, customer focus, and team spirit – core strengths that continue to differentiate us as a partner of choice in automotive manufacturing,” prides Lehmann.
In addition, GEDIA is working to expand its presence in Mexico. Specifically, the company is looking to double the size of its current facility while stabilizing what it has already established.
“From the beginning, when we launch a new plant, we design it with future growth in mind. Scalability is a core part of our strategy, ensuring we can respond quickly and efficiently as customer demand and new business opportunities arise,” Lehmann insights.
In Mexico, GEDIA’s current facility is approximately 220,000 square feet (sqft), and it is in the process of expanding it by an additional 27,000 sqft, enabling growth alongside maintaining full control over infrastructure, logistics, and investment timing.
At the same time, GEDIA’s strategy is not growth at any cost; while expanding the company’s physical footprint, it also places equal emphasis on stabilizing and continuously improving existing operations.
“This balanced approach allows us to support both our current customers and future programs with the highest level of reliability and performance,” details Lehmann.
“By combining trust, responsibility, and openness to change, we strive to create an environment where people feel valued, motivated, and recognized for the important contributions they make every day”
Michael Lehmann, CEO, GEDIA Automotive Group
SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATING TOMORROW
Crucially important to GEDIA’s success is a strong and resilient supply chain for both raw materials and components.
“To ensure stability, competitiveness, and quality, we operate with a globally coordinated procurement organization, including a dedicated global commodity purchasing team that aligns sourcing strategies across all regions,” details Engelbertz.
Equally, the significance of a strong localized supply chain has increased in recent years, with the company’s own robust network allowing it to reduce risk, shorten lead times, improve responsiveness, and increase supply security.
However, localization is not enough. It is just as important to keep global sourcing options available to secure the best possible quality, cost structure, and technological capability. Therefore, GEDIA follows a balanced dual strategy – strengthening local supply chains where appropriate while maintaining global alternatives as a safeguard and competitive benchmark.
“I believe this well-balanced approach has significantly improved the robustness of our operations, enabling us to support our customers, even in highly volatile market conditions,” insights Engelbertz.
In parallel, GEDIA recognizes the importance of its team members and the roles they play in advancing the company through hard work, dedication, and innovation.
The company places a high level of trust in its employees by empowering them with clear responsibilities and the authority to make decisions within their roles. It believes that true empowerment comes when people are trusted to take ownership of their tasks and are supported in doing so.
In return, GEDIA asks for their trust in leadership, creating a strong foundation for engagement, accountability, and performance.
The most significant yet challenging element has been establishing an internal willingness to change or openness to continuous improvement.
“In today’s constantly evolving world, change is not optional; it is essential for long-term success. We actively encourage this mindset by communicating transparently, involving our teams in improvement processes, and recognizing those who embrace change and contribute to progress,” expands Lehmann.
“By combining trust, responsibility, and openness to change, we strive to create an environment where people feel valued, motivated, and recognized for the important contributions they make every day.”
As GEDIA continues to look toward another century of success and industry leadership, its key priorities for 2026 include realignment, execution, and preparing for sustainable future growth.
First and foremost, it is focused on the execution of important production launches in GA and Mexico, which are critical milestones for the company, requiring excellence in planning, industrialization, and operational execution.
At the same time, it is maximizing production output and overall efficiency across existing operations to not only perform well in the short-term, but to position its plants for long-term, high-volume, and stable production.
Beyond automotive, GEDIA is actively investigating opportunities where its engineering, materials, and expertise can be leveraged to improve products in other industries. This measured diversification strategy allows the company to reduce dependency on a single sector while creating new growth opportunities that align with its technological strengths.
“In summary, 2026 is about execution, performance optimization, and laying the foundation for future launches and selective diversification,” concludes Lehmann.
