VW Installs New Manager at Chattanooga Plant

Volkswagen AG has named Christian Koch to head operations at its factory in Chattanooga, Tenn., effective April 1.

Koch succeeds Frank Fischer, who has managed VW manufacturing in the U.S. since 2008, when the carmaker announced plans to reestablish production in America.

Fischer directed construction of the Chattanooga plant and was in charge of the facility in February when workers rejected a United Auto Workers union bid to represent them. His new assignment is head of VW's Passat plant in Emden, Germany.

Koch currently is managing director for D-Class operations at VW Sachsen GmbH, where he heads production of bodies for the Bentley Continental and VW Phaeton luxury sedans. Koch previously lead VW's effort to launch a 4-cylinder engine plant in Shanghai and served as president of the Chengdu branch of FAW-Volkswagen in China.