VW opens Transparent Factory in Dresden

Volkswagen Wolfsburg „ Dec 2001

Dr. Piëch: The start of a new chapter in automotive history?

Volkswagen's Transparent Factory in Dresden was inaugurated on Tuesday December 11 at an official ceremony. This also marked the start of production of the new Volkswagen luxury-class saloon that is to be launched next spring.

The official inauguration of the factory was performed by Chancellor Schr|der, Prime Minister Biedenkopf, Dr. Ferdinand Piëch, Chairman of Volkswagen AG, and Dr. Folker Weissgerber, Member of the Board of Volkswagen AG.

The Transparent Dresden Factory

Dr. Pich'sech made reference to the tradition of car manufacturing in Saxony, which dates back well over 100 years. ÀHistory is being made here today with the opening of the Transparent Factory,? commented Dr. Pi´ch. Our customers and guests will be able to see and experience detailed craftsmanship and state-of-the-art technology here. Our activities will focus on the endeavour to honour a no-compromise quality pledge.?

In his introductory welcoming speech, Dr. Folker Weissgerber examined the idea behind building a luxury-class vehicle. ÀSuch a high-tech product can't simply be built using classic car manufacturing techniques. Precision craftsmanship is required. Furthermore, by making processes visible we wanted to present the fascination of technology as a Àstaging” of production and, of course, as an attraction for customers and visitors.” Exactly 868 days have passed since the foundation stone was laid in July 1999, a total of ã187 million has been invested.

With its Transparent Factory, Volkswagen has become the first manufacturer to implement a production concept that combines the processes of classic industrial-scale automotive production with manual craft tasks. Another unique aspect of this factory is the fact that production can be followed live by the customer.

The idea of the Transparent Factory was transformed into a building by Gunter Henn, the group of architects responsible for building the Autostadt in Wolfsburg.

The new luxury-class Volkswagen will be built behind 27,500 square meters of glazed facades in a production area covering 55,000 square meters. The glazed areas and 24,000 square meters of parquetry create a light atmosphere inside which the manufacture by meticulously executed assembly processes, in many cases by hand, is a complement to industrial production processes.

The Desden Factory Interior

Production in the Transparent Factory will take place on several levels. The Àslat belt” is at the heart of the new production line. All that it has in common with conventional conveyors is its phased movement according to assembly stage. The surface of the slat belt itself consists of 29 individual elements that are also fully lined with parquetry and carry the vehicles to be assembled. Other features include an induction power supply and a new indirect lighting concept. All parts required for the assembly process accompany the corresponding vehicle in a Àcomponents basket”.

Volkswagen has likewise adopted a new approach in the form of the Event Area integrated into the factory. The highest technology is used here to help visitors and customers find out more about Volkswagen, its luxury-class models and individual mobility in general. Customers coming to Dresden to collect their new car will receive VIP treatment in a separate section of this area.

Along with the construction of this factory close to the city centre, a new logistics system has been created. Specially developed tram cars (CarGoTram) provide an environmentally and traffic-friendly shuttle service using the city's municipal tram network, carrying prefabricated parts from the Logistics Centre outside the city to the Transparent Factory.

The outdoor facilities, covering an area of some 50,000 square meters, fit in perfectly with the urban setting; around ã6 million were spent on the factory's surroundings at Strassburger Platz, about 100 meters away from the Botanical Gardens. The factory's landmark is a glass tower, almost 40 meters high and visible from some considerable distance, in which the finished vehicles are stored ready for collection.