Newsletter for employees and residents living near the Škoda Auto Vrchlabí plant 3/2026

Dear readers,
I hope you’ve had an enjoyable summer and perhaps attended some of the events supported by Škoda Auto or our Endowment Fund. This year, for example, we once again supported the Vrchlabí Summer Music Festival, now in its 31st year and one of the highlights of the region’s cultural calendar.

During the annual summer shutdown, we carried out the usual modifications and maintenance on production equipment at the Vrchlabí plant so that we can continue operating at full capacity in the months ahead. Producing our seven-millionth DQ200 transmission reflects the exceptional dedication of our employees. Demand for our products is exceptionally strong both at home and abroad, so we expect another record year.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all our employees for the care and commitment they bring to their work every day. Their efforts are behind the plant’s excellent results. Special thanks also go to the KOVO Trade Union for its constructive approach and fair dealings.

Taking an active role at work, often going beyond day-to-day responsibilities, brings real rewards. The nine employees who won new Škoda Superbs in the ZEBRA idea management programme’s prize draw are proof of that. Congratulations in particular to the winners from Vrchlabí. I look forward to next year’s competition. It’s a great initiative that benefits us all.

Lars Bürger
Plant Manager, Škoda Auto Vrchlabí
 

Employee perspective: Dominika Králová – Internal Communications, Editor-in-Chief of Škoda Mobil

Almost everyone at Škoda Auto knows Škoda Mobil, the long-established employee newspaper published free of charge each month in print and online. What they may not know is that Dominika from Internal Communications is responsible for its content.

How long have you worked at Škoda Auto, and what roles have you held?
I first joined Škoda Auto in 2016 as a student intern in Procurement. That was when I began to discover just how much there is to the company. I’ve worked in Internal Communications since 2017. A few years later, I had the chance to take over as editor-in-chief. It was a dream come true because I remember Škoda Mobil from my childhood.

What drew you to communications?
Curiosity. I was happy in Procurement at the time, with a great team and manager, but I wanted to keep developing. Communications and public relations really appealed to me, and I wanted to work in the field. So I decided to give it a go, applied for a role in Internal Communications, and it worked out! Now I get to do what I enjoy.

What does your current role involve?
I’m now in my fourth year overseeing the production and content of Škoda Mobil, our employee newspaper and one of our main internal communications channels. We aim to give readers interesting content and a full picture of what’s happening both inside and outside the company. In recent years, we’ve put more emphasis on involving employees in the newspaper. We want them to see their experiences reflected in its pages and to contribute content and story ideas of their own. As editor-in-chief, I oversee the whole process, from the initial story idea to the final printed issue and the online edition at skodamobil.cz.

What are the editorial meetings like, and how many people are involved in producing Škoda Mobil?
We meet three times a month. Our main editorial meeting typically brings together up to 20 people, including representatives from across the company. We work through the plan for each issue, topic by topic. The core editorial team has five members, while the wider production team totals 16, covering graphic design, pre-press, proofreading, printing and distribution.

Škoda Mobil has long been one of the company’s most popular internal communications channels. How difficult is it to find enough stories for each monthly issue?
It can be challenging at times. We gather ideas from across the company and create our own original content alongside news about the business and its products. Popular features include photo reports from events, interviews, articles about employees and competitions open to every reader. We’re always working to improve the way we produce the newspaper and its content, and to cover topics that will stay relevant over time.

What do you enjoy most about your job, and what are the biggest challenges?
The variety and the pace. Putting each issue together can be hectic. You never know when approvals might take longer than expected or a story might have to wait until a later issue. The newspaper brings me into contact with people from every part of the company, which I really enjoy. Having such a clear view of what’s happening across Škoda Auto is a bonus, but the job also carries a great deal of responsibility.