Volkswagen Factory Tour Part 3

No visit to any Volkswagen facility would be complete without a prerequisite excursion to view Wolfsburg's unique motoring heritage at the Automuseum.

Wednesday April 11th

At the midpoint of our five-day tour through a terrific-cross section of Volkswagen factories and motor-orientated annexes, continued with the 'factory Chronicle' of their documented history at Dieselstrasse 35 - barely a mile East of the Wolfsburg plant, HQ and Autostadt.

Completely refurbished after an eight-week makeover, reopening in mid-March of this year, this marvellous collection of 'milestone' models down the decades never ceases to impress all who visit this gold mine of VW nuggets.

16 years after its inception, the collection of air and water cooled vehicles stand at some 135, spread out into four 'themed' sections: Kumpel Käfer; Generation Golf; Familie Volkswagen and Futurum Volkswagen. I particularly liked the new Beetle display of the innovatively sprayed graphics to a very professional artistic finish.

I don't quite know how they have managed it but the vast museum seemed even larger in the same overall space. Better lighting, both artificial and natural through the many integrated ceiling panels, allow photographs to capture these gems on film without the need for flash photography.

With many new lines of memorabilia carried in the entrance hall souvenir shop, the staff were kept very busy by the 'British invasion'.

An added bonus is in newly-created classic parts centre. Situated along the hallway to the museum proper the helpful staff can obtain most of those difficult to find parts and accessories for both water- and air-cooled VW's

Why not try them:

email: classicparts@t-online.de

Telephone: 05361 54028

Fax: 05361 54041

My eyes were glazed over with wonder hours after -such is this remarkable collection housed within this must-see exhibition. On to Salzgitter, for a tour of the engine building plant.

Quite conveniently as we pulled in through the main gate and coach driver stops just alongside yet another Votex/VW souvenir shop. Bliss! With locust-like ferocity, Kevin (suitcase) and the team clear out another shop much to the amusement of the staff!

Then we were introduced to our guide and factory PR, Herr Beame.

We first attend the engine museum set in a cleverly thought-out alcove featuring examples of engines (displayed on pedestals, many 'cut away' for sight of the internal mechanism) constructed down the decades: from the basic 1192 cc Beetle engine through to present day fuel-injection and diesel engines for the current range of the Group's vehicles. An interesting inclusion was a engine belonging to a Trabant (you'll recall the sudden proliferation of these 2-stroke powered, papier-maché bodied 'people's cars' after the demolition of the Berlin Wall). Our guide was questioned as to the significance of this exhibit to which the reply was that this was much a part of German automotive heritage as any of the other displays.

Salzgitter was originally earmarked to produce the K70 model in the early 1970's. Because engines were produced at the Hanover plant at that time where the management were wanting to expand development of the Type 2, all engine production was moved to Salzgitter. (As history tells us the K70 as a water cooled VW progression fail to take off although valuable lessons were learned for the future direction of the group's technology).

With a current workforce of 7,500 employees this specialist VW complex both built and re conditioned 1.84 million components and engines in 1999. engine production per day being 8500 units of which 60 per cent are diesels. We experienced a recurring theme through the visit, the emphasis was very much on diesel technology with the group's diesel engines being very evident.

Though quite a bit smaller than Wolfsburg, Salzgitter nevertheless boasts 32 kilometres of road ways - looks can be deceiving! The efficient workforce (a hallmark of the German work ethic concept), are paid an average £18 per hour. Tool makers enjoy £34 per hour.

Over lunch in the factory canteen an item proving very popular were the bright red Coca-Cola tumblers addressed with the VW logo. The intention is that after use these be returned and washed up ready for reuse - however our party preferred to take theirs with them!

Saying our goodbyes with another foray at the on-site Votex/VW shop we head south-west to our next hotel; the appropriately-named hotel Scirocco, near Kassel.

Another superb evening meal was enjoyed in the hotel's top-floor banqueting room.

Thursday April 12th

Another day - another Volkswagen factory!! The Kassel VW plant, set in a picturesque valley - in fact so large it was virtually the whole valley .

Covering grounds of some 2,400,000 square meters and employing over 16,000 personnel Kassel has a daily influence over all Volkswagen factories.

Our host for the day was Herr Wolfgang Marschall who clearly enjoyed his task of introducing us to the facility. This is a manufacturing plant mainly for gearbox components and body panels. And how: 12,000 new gearbox units plus 200 reconditioned gearboxes each day. Also of great significance at the Kassel plant it is the entire parts sales and distribution division for Volkswagen AG World wide.

Production started at Kassel on July 1st, 1958. A former Aero engine factory, power unit reconditioning was soon transferred from Wolfsburg. Since then the production of individual component parts of engines and gearbox amount to over 620,000 items per annum.

The all-embracing parts Centre up and running since 1994 occupies the largest of four main halls. The operation is highly automated, even the large railway marshalling yard outside is operated with driverless locomotives. Three other large halls house the foundry; the press shop; gearbox and exhaust manufacture and power unit reconditioning.

Huge smelting furnaces take care a modern-day casting techniques of aluminium alloys incorporating gearbox and engine cases. A material displaying inherent qualities of lightness and strength plus the benefit of being fully recyclable resulting in 55,000 tonnes of recycled aluminium per year.

Engine and gearbox units are returned from Group franchises all over the world for reconditioning at this, the largest engine and gearbox reconditioning plant in the world. All reconditioned units are given a brand new identity and thoroughly checked at each stage. Such is the quality control in this state-of-the-art factory that all units are given equal status with their brand-new counterparts - after all this is Volkswagen! One interesting statistic gleaned from Herr Marschall was that initially some 1,000 units per week were received for reconditioning; now that figure has fallen to 200 per week - indicative of the rigourous quality control applied to the brand new components.

Huge oil and water purification systems shows the importance Kassel places on industrial environmental pollution and emission waste avoidance.

Again the larger than life press shop oversees production of body panels for example of the Passat.

Exhaust system production alone requires 1000 tonnes a sheet metal and some 550 kilometres of tubing, processed each day with a resultant daily turnover of 10,000 exhaust systems to serve the needs of the group's vehicles

The reconditioning section at Kassel turns round some 200 gearboxes, 280 engines and 2900 other exchange components such as engine cylinder heads and breaks it is comforting to note the recondition components and unions are the equal of new parts and come with exactly the same warranty.

The Kassel parts centre (ETZ) is a mini autocracy in itself. Supply and wholesale to distribution centres and 330 plus VAG dealerships throughout Germany. 1200 Seat and Skoda dealers also apply direct to Kassel.

We were amazed by the sight of some 200,000 separate parts in 500,000 square meters of storage space stacked ergonomically right to the 30 metre high ceiling. All parts are picked by robots, such is their speed the human operators must stay within their operating 'bridge' at one end of the hall.

After digesting all these mind-numbing statistics we felt in need of some nourishment! This need was satisfied by a fine meal enjoyed in Kassel's panoramic glass circular restaurant. We were impressed by the facilities available to the employees in all factories we visited and I speak on behalf of the party in praising the quality and variation of the food and drink which has been superb.

Of course no trip to a Volkswagen factory could be complete without the obligatory visit to a Votex/VW shop and Kassel was no exception. We returned with plenty of VW-themed goodies, leaving behind bemused staff smiling at the antics of the British.

Our last overnight stay is at the chocolate box pretty village of Rudesheim in the Rhine valley where we had a chance to explore and purchase souvenirs for our non-motoring enthusiast friends.

Good Friday

After a very eventful week we had back to Calais via the Rhine valley returning to England via the very efficient 'Le Shuttle'.

To Pauline and Robin Boyett, also to the VW staff from Milton Keynes and Germany, the group pay greatful thanks for a well orchestrated tour . This was a holiday experience we'll all remember; long after your 'Benidorm tan' has faded away.

Here's to the next one - cheers Robin!

Derek Griffin